UNEMPLOYED SINGLE MOTHER > TIR COED TUTOR & SUCCESSFUL WOODLAND CRAFTER

Cerys's story 

Back in 2011 I became a single Mum of 2 young children. I had been out of the workplace for a number of years and I'd heard about courses in the woods with Bob Shaw and Tir Coed. I had been to an open day previously and thoroughly enjoyed it,  so with my degree in Fine Art sculpture (a long time previous) I decided that this course held the most potential in helping me get back to work. I completed a level 3 in Sustainable Woodland Management, and became self employed the Summer after. I have been a support tutor with Tir coed on a number of marvelous courses both long and short, from forest school with pre-school children to bird box making with those with learning difficulties at Canolfan Hamdden Aberystwyth. 

I then took part in The Harvesting the Knowledge project which was both fascinating and invaluable to me as a struggling self-employed craft worker. Coming from a family of clog makers and wheel wrights on one side and farmer & woodland types on the other, the experience has also brought me closer to my own past. Now I carve the letters on to Memorial Benches and I make wooden model beetles of invasive species for the government. I still like to volunteer and have helped on 2 builds at the woods in Coed Tyllwyd, i.e. the compost loo and roundhouse. It is soul warming work and I love giving back to a community and woodland that has helped me so much.