Green Woodworking/Pole Workshop | Haddenham Arts Centre | 12 July 2025
Saturday 12 July 10.30 am – 4.00 pm
£85 including welcome tea/coffee & biscuits, materials, use of all equipment on the day & tutoring.
Learn how to take a log of green wood, trim it with an axe, draw it to shape using a shave horse and a draw knife and then use the pole lathe to turn your piece into an item of your choice.
The workshop is taking place at the Haddenham Arts Centre which has its own café where you can have lunch - workshop participants are entitled to a 10% discount - do pre-order when you arrive and let the staff know you are a student - or you are of course welcome to bring your own packed lunch or use facilities in the village.
This diamond award-winning experience can be enjoyed by a group of up to 6 people and is suitable for everyone and we can accommodate children from 10+ accompanied by an adult (but we tend to not offer the axe cutting part).
This full-day group workshop includes welcome tea/coffee & biscuits, and use of all the equipment and materials.
We also offer this workshop as a 1-2-1 immersive experience or for pairs (check out our other workshops).
So couples or even parents and children can come along and
experience the art of green woodturning together!
About a week before your workshop date, we'll e-mail you
again with more details about parking etc.
The sessions are hands-on, and the student will be able to use the green woodworking equipment and pole lathe to create their pieces. The tuition can be tuned to what they would like to do, as people tend to learn quicker working in areas that they are interested in. They can choose from a number of items that would be suitable for beginners or those relatively new to the art.
The aim is to make an item or items that they can feel proud of and take away with them.
All students will be provided with a certificate of completion. All of the wood used is from sustainable local sources.
The origins of the pole lathe are lost in antiquity, but it is known that Vikings used them as they have been discovered in archaeological finds in York. The ancient craft of pole lathe turning petered out in England after the Second World War.
You'll take away everything you make during the session - this could be anything from a rolling pin, spatula, mallet, garden dibber ...
The 1-day workshop includes:
- All tools, materials and personal protection equipment (eye protection/lung protection).
- Welcome refreshments (tea/coffee/biscuits).
- As we limit the number of people to 6, you get to have some 1-2-1 tuition and the maximum benefit from a day with no distractions.
- All work can be taken home.
- Follow-up advice.