Woodland craft day draws crowds to Urchfont
2:31pm Thursday 9th September 2010 in Latest News By Lewis Cowen
Children create flowers from wood at Oakfrith Wood woodland craft day: From left, Laura Butt, Abbie Mussard, Ollie Mussard, Matthew Mussard, Jack Herbert and Sophie Mussard
At least 300 people flocked to Oakfrith Wood, Urchfont, on Saturday for the first ever woodland craft day.
The visitors were able to try their hand at a wide range of woodland crafts, including charcoal burning, coppice craft, pole lathe turning, basketry, bee keeping, friction fire lighting and bench seat construction.
They were also able to take part in a number of woodland walks organised by officers from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.
The event was mounted by the Friends of Oakfrith Wood, who have worked for many years to bring the overgrown woodland on the estate of Urchfont Manor College into use as a community amenity.
The group’s chairman Peter Newell said: “We couldn’t believe how many turned up to it. There were well over 300 people, though we couldn’t say exactly how many.
“The focus of the day was on the woodland craft area, but the rabbit stew and the hog roast went down very well.
“We would certainly repeat it, although I don’t see it becoming an annual event.”
