A community group has paid for 14 carpentry students to gain new skills by working at a centre for environmental education near Stowmarket.
The learners are all studying carpentry and joinery classes at Suffolk New College.
Their four-day programme was sponsored and paid for by The George Community Pub who have raised around £2m to help rebuild their local tavern in Wickham Market, as well as using funds on community projects that support people living in the county.
As part of their fundraising push, The George Community Pub has donated around £10k to the college thanks to the support of the National Heritage Lottery Fund and The Radcliffe Trust.
During the course, learners gained a host of heritage skills thanks to a link-up with Orchard Barn in Ringshall near Stowmarket which has given them additional tools to support their future career ambitions.
Later in the year, learners will be going to The George where they will use their new skills to help renovate the building ahead of its planned opening in early 2025.
Sarah Partridge is the Managing Director of Orchard Barn. Sarah said: “The carpentry and joinery students did a timber frame restoration skills course with us. The pub wanted to give a group of local people heritage skills. They approached us and we organised a four-day course for them. There is a real need to ensure that future construction workers have skills that enable them to maintain our built heritage using authentic techniques and materials – so we were delighted to be involved.”
Christine Abraham from the George Community Pub said: “Part of our funding aim was to work with the community on restoration projects, so we reached out to Suffolk New College and Suffolk Rural to give them some hands-on work experience and a qualification.
“Working with and for the community is so important. This is a three-way partnership supported by funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund and The Radcliffe Trust and we are grateful to them.”
Daniel Woodward is a carpentry lecturer at Suffolk Rural. Daniel said; “The students got a recognised qualification and further training that will help the in the future.
“Re-learning these skills that have been around hundreds of years will help keep these historic traditions alive.
“The students engaged with this and got stuck in and their work ethic has been brilliant. I’d like to say thank everyone for giving our students this opportunity.”
Minty Day, 19, from Stoke-by-Nayland, is on a level two carpentry course. Minty said: “The course has been brilliant and the staff (at Orchard Barn) have been very informative. It’s been great learning techniques. It has inspired me to work in the heritage field in the future. I’d like to thank Orchard Barn and The George Community Pub for this fantastic opportunity and we are going to take this knowledge with us into our future careers.”