Institute of Green Woodwork

Corporate Days

We offer a range of workshops and woody activities for team building and corporate away days, based at our large workshop on Stepney City Farm. These can be anything from large-scale projects to mini-workshops, but all involve the use of ancient tools and methods, and working with green wood from locally felled trees.

Nothing offers a more perfect antidote to the cold glow of the computer monitor than a day spent getting hands-on with axes and knives; getting in touch with your inner woodsman/woman.

Working with wood is good for the soul, especially in its most pure and natural form – straight from the tree. Making something with your own hands, starting from a log, and seeing the finished product come to fruition in front of your eyes is an inspiring and deeply satisfying process. This is your chance to escape the to-do list for a day, hang up your tie, and spend some well deserved hours tinkering, chopping, splitting, carving, shaping, shaving and turning.

Under the expert tutelage of our green woodworkers, headed by Barn, the master spoon carver, your team can try their hand at traditional wood working techniques, from log splitting to axe carving, spoon whittling to spindle turning.

We are very flexible in what we can offer. If none of the above quite fits the bill, then let us know what you're after and we'll find something that works for you.

For further details or to discuss options please contact Barn at: [email protected]

Packages

We have activities and workshops available to suit groups of any size up to a maximum of 30 (minimum group size 4 people).

Cost: Full Day - £70 a head Half Day - £50 a head

Day workshops include:

Axe Day Log splitting, axe carving and all axe skills in between.

Fire-by-Friction Day A day of bushcraft, centered around the dark art of creating fire. Working in teams, learn to craft and assemble the necessary tools from wood, create your tinder, and race to produce a flame.

Spoon Carving Day Starting with a log, learn to split, ‘axe out’, carve and hollow a functional yet beautiful spoon for your own use.

Other Activities

Alternatively, you can pick and choose from the following activities:

- Spoon Carving - Log Splitting - Axe Carving Techniques - Wood Turning on a Traditional Pole Lathe - Spatula Carving - Bowl Carving - Drop Spindle Making - Pencil Making - Fire by Friction - Hay Rake Making - May Whistle Making - Large scale projects, such as making a green wood bench, can be arranged