Advance Notice!
The AGM will be held on 8-9 May 2010 at Mayflower School, Billericay, Essex.
The AGM will take place 11am on Saturday 8th, followed by lunch and workshops. Please attend if you can, and let your voice help shape the future of the BWA.
Click here for more AGM information and to download an application form
Great News!! We have a new Region in North Derby! The Leader is John Richards, Dennis Fry is Secretary and Sam Giblett is Treasurer. Details are on the Regional Information page. I know you will all join me in a huge "WELCOME".
Sad News: Bedworth and Nuneaton Region is no longer viable as it has insufficient members, and has therefore closed.
North Wales and Borders branch at Chirk Castle
This year we lucky folk of the North Wales and Borders branch will be moving our summer residence to Chirk Castle, Wrexham. It is a National Trust property set in the beautiful countryside around the Welsh/English borders.
We will be there from April the 28th until May the 23rd. Our home will be a marquee, so wheelchair access should not be a problem. In addition to a display of the clubs work, we will be well represented on each of the open days by several club members all willing and eager to discuss their work, or just talk about woodcarving. Ours is never a static display, we will all be busy beavering away with some current project, but please, dont let that put you off asking any questions, we are only too happy to see you there.
If you have any queries, please phone me Ron Cannell, 01745 825041, or Eileen Walker, 01352 770706.
The AGM will be held on 8-9 May 2010 at Mayflower School, Billericay, Essex.
The AGM will take place 11am on Saturday 8th, followed by lunch and workshops. Please attend if you can, and let your voice help shape the future of the BWA.
Click here for more AGM information and to download an application form
Great News!! We have a new Region in North Derby! The Leader is John Richards, Dennis Fry is Secretary and Sam Giblett is Treasurer. Details are on the Regional Information page. I know you will all join me in a huge "WELCOME".
Sad News: Bedworth and Nuneaton Region is no longer viable as it has insufficient members, and has therefore closed.
North Wales and Borders branch at Chirk Castle
This year we lucky folk of the North Wales and Borders branch will be moving our summer residence to Chirk Castle, Wrexham. It is a National Trust property set in the beautiful countryside around the Welsh/English borders.
We will be there from April the 28th until May the 23rd. Our home will be a marquee, so wheelchair access should not be a problem. In addition to a display of the clubs work, we will be well represented on each of the open days by several club members all willing and eager to discuss their work, or just talk about woodcarving. Ours is never a static display, we will all be busy beavering away with some current project, but please, dont let that put you off asking any questions, we are only too happy to see you there.
If you have any queries, please phone me Ron Cannell, 01745 825041, or Eileen Walker, 01352 770706.
The Ox & Bucks Woodcarvers are holding their first major Woodcarving Exhibition at The Gallery, Oxford Town Hall, from the 1st - 14th March 2010, 10am until 6pm daily. On show will be the major Community Projects that they have completed, including the 3 Oxfordshire Panels depicting 15 major historic events that told place during the 1,000 years of Oxfordshire, plus The Abingdon Panel that commemorated 450 years of the granting of the Town Charter and shown to Princess Ann when she visited the Town.
In addition there will be over 6O other carvings from their 11 lady members and 16 gentlemen members.
They would be delighted to see fellow woodcarvers, entrance is free and there is a wonderful coffee bar next door.
In addition there will be over 6O other carvings from their 11 lady members and 16 gentlemen members.
They would be delighted to see fellow woodcarvers, entrance is free and there is a wonderful coffee bar next door.
EVENTS 2010
The BWA will be attending and demonstrating at the following events:
March:
1st - 14th Oxfordshire & Bucks Region: Their first major Exhibition.
Oxford Town Hall. Open daily.
11th - 13th S.E.London and W.Kent Region:Get Woodworking Live,
Alexandra Palace.
April:
11th Hampshire Region:Bursledon Brickworks SO31 7GW
28th - 23rd May North Wales & Borders Region: Exhibition at Chirk.
May:
6th - 9th Essex Region:Living Crafts Show, Hatfield House.
31st Hampshire Region:Wolf Conservation Trust RG7 5NT
June:
4th-6th North Wales & Borders Region: Woodfest, St Asaph.
July:
3rd - 4th Gloucestershire Region:The Cotswold Show, Cirencester Park,Cirencester, Gloucestershire.
August:
1st Hampshire Region:Twyford Waterworks SO21 1QA
27th - 30th Multi-region get together:The Festival of the Tree,Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire.
September:
4th Hampshire Region:Valley Park Community Woodfair SO53 4SJ
11th-12th North Wales and Borders Region: Malpas Show.
16th - 4th October Essex Region:Exhibition and Demonstrations at Southend Central Library (near Southend Victoria station). 150 carvings on display. Open daily.
REGIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND TALKS 2010:
February
6th North Wales & Borders: Peter Benson, Netsukes
20th Lancashire: John Adamson Sculptor 1-3PM £5.00
(and poss chainsaw demo!)
March
6th S.E. London & W.Kent: Maureen Hockley, Colouring Carvings
6th North Wales & Borders: Geraint, Birdcarving
20th Lancashire: Carve-in with Roy Richardson 12-4pm £5.00
Roy here 12-2pm arrive early!
April
7th North Wales & Borders: Lovespoons
10th Lancashire: *DATE CHANGE!* 10-3PM £10.00
Peter Berry demo on facial features carving and practical knife session pm-Fish and chip dinner available
May
15th Lancashire: Carve-in with Roy Richardson 12-4pm £5.00
Roy back 12.30-3.30
June
19th Lancashire: Harry Law stick maker 1-3pm £5.00
26th North Wales and Borders: Dave Brown, Chip Carving
July
17th Lancashire: Carve-in with Roy Richardson 12-4pm £5.00
September
18th Lancashire Regional Annual General Meeting 1-3pm £5.00
October
30th North Wales & Borders: Michael Painter
2009
December
North Wales and Borders Region 12th of December. Christmas party when everybody brings a plate of goodies to share. We also see how well we have responded to the Christmas competition. This year the set theme is a character from literature!
The Woodentops (S.E.London and West Kent)
Christmas Party, 12 December. Tickets on sale from Cathy Thomas.
Kent Region will be attending what they describe as a 'Naffe Christmas Carve In at Peter Benson's'.
October 2009
North Wales and Borders Region Michael Painter, another club favourite will be our guest on the 31st of October, and that will be another day when the HOUSE FULL signs will need to be posted.
Rockinham Forest
Sunday 25th October Rockingham Forest Carvers Annual Exhibition, Highgate Hall, Elton, Cambs.
September 2009
The European Woodworking Show
Cressing, Essex
Six members from Essex Region were invited to demonstrate and represented the BWA at this new 2 day show. They enjoyed the show and hope it becomes an annual event.
Hampshire The Hampshire Woodcarvers attended the annual Community Woodfair at Zion Hill Copse, on the outskirts of Chandlers Ford, on 5 September. The Woodfair is our main display for the year and the 12 members present provided an excellent display under our two Gazebos. Part of the display was our annual competition, which this year had the theme of The Sea. Carvings were made from a block of lime 6 inches by 4 by 4 and we asked the public to vote for their favourite. In all 213 votes were cast and the winner was John Dixon with his Fish Vase who won 49 votes, followed by Mike White who gained 45 votes for his Sea Horse.
This year we also introduced soap carving for the children, which was a huge success. We had a non stop flow of children and by the time we ran out of soap just after three O'clock they had produced about 120 small carvings each made from half a bar of soap. Some promised to use it in the bath that night but others were not so keen!
This was the tenth year of the Woodfair and we have attended all of them. It goes from strength to strength with its wood and craft orientated displays and activities and is a firm favourite with the carvers as well.
The BWA will be attending and demonstrating at the following events:
March:
1st - 14th Oxfordshire & Bucks Region: Their first major Exhibition.
Oxford Town Hall. Open daily.
11th - 13th S.E.London and W.Kent Region:Get Woodworking Live,
Alexandra Palace.
April:
11th Hampshire Region:Bursledon Brickworks SO31 7GW
28th - 23rd May North Wales & Borders Region: Exhibition at Chirk.
May:
6th - 9th Essex Region:Living Crafts Show, Hatfield House.
31st Hampshire Region:Wolf Conservation Trust RG7 5NT
June:
4th-6th North Wales & Borders Region: Woodfest, St Asaph.
July:
3rd - 4th Gloucestershire Region:The Cotswold Show, Cirencester Park,Cirencester, Gloucestershire.
August:
1st Hampshire Region:Twyford Waterworks SO21 1QA
27th - 30th Multi-region get together:The Festival of the Tree,Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire.
September:
4th Hampshire Region:Valley Park Community Woodfair SO53 4SJ
11th-12th North Wales and Borders Region: Malpas Show.
16th - 4th October Essex Region:Exhibition and Demonstrations at Southend Central Library (near Southend Victoria station). 150 carvings on display. Open daily.
REGIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND TALKS 2010:
February
6th North Wales & Borders: Peter Benson, Netsukes
20th Lancashire: John Adamson Sculptor 1-3PM £5.00
(and poss chainsaw demo!)
March
6th S.E. London & W.Kent: Maureen Hockley, Colouring Carvings
6th North Wales & Borders: Geraint, Birdcarving
20th Lancashire: Carve-in with Roy Richardson 12-4pm £5.00
Roy here 12-2pm arrive early!
April
7th North Wales & Borders: Lovespoons
10th Lancashire: *DATE CHANGE!* 10-3PM £10.00
Peter Berry demo on facial features carving and practical knife session pm-Fish and chip dinner available
May
15th Lancashire: Carve-in with Roy Richardson 12-4pm £5.00
Roy back 12.30-3.30
June
19th Lancashire: Harry Law stick maker 1-3pm £5.00
26th North Wales and Borders: Dave Brown, Chip Carving
July
17th Lancashire: Carve-in with Roy Richardson 12-4pm £5.00
September
18th Lancashire Regional Annual General Meeting 1-3pm £5.00
October
30th North Wales & Borders: Michael Painter
2009
December
North Wales and Borders Region 12th of December. Christmas party when everybody brings a plate of goodies to share. We also see how well we have responded to the Christmas competition. This year the set theme is a character from literature!
The Woodentops (S.E.London and West Kent)
Christmas Party, 12 December. Tickets on sale from Cathy Thomas.
Kent Region will be attending what they describe as a 'Naffe Christmas Carve In at Peter Benson's'.
October 2009
North Wales and Borders Region Michael Painter, another club favourite will be our guest on the 31st of October, and that will be another day when the HOUSE FULL signs will need to be posted.
Rockinham Forest
Sunday 25th October Rockingham Forest Carvers Annual Exhibition, Highgate Hall, Elton, Cambs.
September 2009
The European Woodworking Show
Cressing, Essex
Six members from Essex Region were invited to demonstrate and represented the BWA at this new 2 day show. They enjoyed the show and hope it becomes an annual event.
Hampshire The Hampshire Woodcarvers attended the annual Community Woodfair at Zion Hill Copse, on the outskirts of Chandlers Ford, on 5 September. The Woodfair is our main display for the year and the 12 members present provided an excellent display under our two Gazebos. Part of the display was our annual competition, which this year had the theme of The Sea. Carvings were made from a block of lime 6 inches by 4 by 4 and we asked the public to vote for their favourite. In all 213 votes were cast and the winner was John Dixon with his Fish Vase who won 49 votes, followed by Mike White who gained 45 votes for his Sea Horse.
This year we also introduced soap carving for the children, which was a huge success. We had a non stop flow of children and by the time we ran out of soap just after three O'clock they had produced about 120 small carvings each made from half a bar of soap. Some promised to use it in the bath that night but others were not so keen!
This was the tenth year of the Woodfair and we have attended all of them. It goes from strength to strength with its wood and craft orientated displays and activities and is a firm favourite with the carvers as well.
Hampshire Regions display
At Zion Hill Copse
Community Woodfair
September 2009.
The Frampton Country Fair
Frampton-on-Severn, Gloucestershire
Five members from Gloucestershire Region demonstrated at this annual and very popular show.
There is never a shortage of volunteers to do this one!
Rockinham Forest
Sunday 13th September Display of Crafts at Barnwell Country Park, Oundle.
North Wales and Borders Region Malpas, a country show in Cheshire on the 12th/13th of September.
Worms Hill Craft Day
Kent Region
August 2009
The Festival of the Tree, Westonbirt, Gloucestershire.
It was the 16th year that the BWA had attended this 4 day show. Eight Regions got together, Kent, Essex, S.E.London and West Kent, Hertfordshire, Shropshire, South Wales, Lancashire and Gloucestershire to demonstrate and chat to visitors, and once again we seemed to have the busiest marquee on site.
The Pipe Dreams Competition (where the carving had to fit into a 12"tall x 6" diameter pipe) attracted 22 entries and a lot of interest from the visitors. The winner of the Technical Prize of £100 was John Robinson (South Wales) for his exquisite little Fife Piper, and the Artistic prize of £100 was won by Maureen Hockley (Essex) for her wistful 'Dream On'.
The Westonbirt Trophy competition, is now in its 11th year, and the trophy is running out of room for the winners name shields! Perhaps we should ask Dave Johnson to carve us another one!
It was an exciting event with 38 entries. The visitors are the judges for this, and 2,300 voted for
their favourite. Every entry received votes (which shows the diversity of public opinion) but it was neck and neck between two clear leaders from the start, Maurice Harper's superb Giraffe (Gloucestershire) galloping home just ahead of Stan Kimm's delightful 'Hector, the Dog'(Hertfordshire). Pictures are on the Gallery page.
Nine people were interested enough in taking up carving to leave their names and details, five of whom (four being complete novices) came to the Gloucestershire Regions monthly meeting 2 weeks later. Let's hope they all get hooked on carving, and sign up as BWA members.
Frampton-on-Severn, Gloucestershire
Five members from Gloucestershire Region demonstrated at this annual and very popular show.
There is never a shortage of volunteers to do this one!
Rockinham Forest
Sunday 13th September Display of Crafts at Barnwell Country Park, Oundle.
North Wales and Borders Region Malpas, a country show in Cheshire on the 12th/13th of September.
Worms Hill Craft Day
Kent Region
August 2009
The Festival of the Tree, Westonbirt, Gloucestershire.
It was the 16th year that the BWA had attended this 4 day show. Eight Regions got together, Kent, Essex, S.E.London and West Kent, Hertfordshire, Shropshire, South Wales, Lancashire and Gloucestershire to demonstrate and chat to visitors, and once again we seemed to have the busiest marquee on site.
The Pipe Dreams Competition (where the carving had to fit into a 12"tall x 6" diameter pipe) attracted 22 entries and a lot of interest from the visitors. The winner of the Technical Prize of £100 was John Robinson (South Wales) for his exquisite little Fife Piper, and the Artistic prize of £100 was won by Maureen Hockley (Essex) for her wistful 'Dream On'.
The Westonbirt Trophy competition, is now in its 11th year, and the trophy is running out of room for the winners name shields! Perhaps we should ask Dave Johnson to carve us another one!
It was an exciting event with 38 entries. The visitors are the judges for this, and 2,300 voted for
their favourite. Every entry received votes (which shows the diversity of public opinion) but it was neck and neck between two clear leaders from the start, Maurice Harper's superb Giraffe (Gloucestershire) galloping home just ahead of Stan Kimm's delightful 'Hector, the Dog'(Hertfordshire). Pictures are on the Gallery page.
Nine people were interested enough in taking up carving to leave their names and details, five of whom (four being complete novices) came to the Gloucestershire Regions monthly meeting 2 weeks later. Let's hope they all get hooked on carving, and sign up as BWA members.
Maureen Hockley (Essex) receives 1st prize (Artistic) in the Pipe Dreams competition from Carving Magazine's Michelle Robertson.
John Robinson (South Wales) receives the 1st prize (Technical) in the Pipe Dreams competition from Sculptree Carver Neil Gow.
A busy BWA Marquee at The Festival of the Tree, Westonbirt.
Ted Jeffery in deep converstaion with Jean Weston on the Essex stand at The Festival of the Tree.
Rockinham Forest
8 - 9 August Craft demonstrations at Ferry Meadows Peterborough.
29th to 31st August Demonstrations at Bay Tree Garden Centre, Spalding.
8 - 9 August Craft demonstrations at Ferry Meadows Peterborough.
29th to 31st August Demonstrations at Bay Tree Garden Centre, Spalding.
July 2009
S.E. London and West Kent Branch, otherwise known as The Woodentops, invited Maureen Hockley to their July meeting in Orpington to learn about photographing their carvings, and, according to their Newsletter, she did an excellent job! Lots of photos on the way to the Gazette then?
Kent's members were treated to a demonstration of Stickmaking by Dennis Worcester, which was very informative . . . . and witty too, giving them all a very enjoyable session.
The Cotswold Show, Cirencester was again attended by 6 members from Gloucestshire, where they had their own marquee at this very busy and popular annual event.
S.E. London and West Kent Branch, otherwise known as The Woodentops, invited Maureen Hockley to their July meeting in Orpington to learn about photographing their carvings, and, according to their Newsletter, she did an excellent job! Lots of photos on the way to the Gazette then?
Kent's members were treated to a demonstration of Stickmaking by Dennis Worcester, which was very informative . . . . and witty too, giving them all a very enjoyable session.
The Cotswold Show, Cirencester was again attended by 6 members from Gloucestshire, where they had their own marquee at this very busy and popular annual event.
Pre July
Kent Region carved a beautiful panel for the new Demelza Hospice in Eltham S.E. London, which was taken to site and fitted earlier in the year. (More photos on the Gallery page - when we get one).
They also held a barbeque in June and attended the Kent Craft Show at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood.
Kent Region carved a beautiful panel for the new Demelza Hospice in Eltham S.E. London, which was taken to site and fitted earlier in the year. (More photos on the Gallery page - when we get one).
They also held a barbeque in June and attended the Kent Craft Show at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood.
North Wales and Borders Region
This year has already included a visit by the always popular lovespoon specialists Sharon Littley and Clive Griffin. We enjoyed another very successful three week demonstration and display of our work at Erddig. Peter Benson along with his guest Pete LeClair, the well known characaturist from the USA attended the meeting on the 27th of June. We had a stand at Woodfest Wales at St. Asaph early in June.
This year has already included a visit by the always popular lovespoon specialists Sharon Littley and Clive Griffin. We enjoyed another very successful three week demonstration and display of our work at Erddig. Peter Benson along with his guest Pete LeClair, the well known characaturist from the USA attended the meeting on the 27th of June. We had a stand at Woodfest Wales at St. Asaph early in June.
