With a workshop provided, (initially through Action Time of Yorkshire Television) and through many ongoing generous gifts, including a recent one from the Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust, CFL has developed a superb woodworking facility.
The project produces many hundreds of items each year, from bird tables to planters, nest boxes, seed and nut feeders. We also carve our own walking sticks and use our own home grown sticks from coppice we planted a few years ago. This project was also responsible for building our two bird hides as part of the conservation project which are available for our own use as well as for visitors. As well as the hides they have also built a large potting shed for the Horticultural project.
It is an amazing project that enables people to develop skills in producing valuable products that can be used all around the farm enhancing wildlife habitats. We also now sell a large amount of items through the Farm Shop retail area. The project has really taken off over the last few years and both men and women have shown great interest in creating the exciting products.
Working with wood is no simple task. This project has enabled people to develop a real pupose in life. To produce something from scratch and end up with a finished product that people want to purchase or use on other projects, is excellent for instilling a sense of self worth.
