From Ideas to Action: our first year of the Woodworking and Gender Project
Cat Poppensieker, Project Coordinator, offers her reflections of the Woodworking and Gender Project project to date.
training is one of Sylva Foundation’s core values
National Woodworking Teachers Network launches to strengthen, support and celebrate craft educators across the UK
The Furniture Makers’ Company and the Sylva Foundation are launching the Woodworking Teachers Network – a new national initiative designed to connect, support, and empower educators working in woodworking and furniture making education. The network emerges as a direct response to the findings of a comprehensive survey conducted in spring 2025, which gathered the views…
Building Belonging: Reflections from our first ‘Workshop Experience’ course
Reflections from our first six week ‘Workshop Experience’ course, an immersive learning programme designed to open doors into woodworking and furniture making for people historically excluded from the industry.
Professional recognition for senior tutor Phil Gullam
Congratulations to our Wood School Senior Tutor Phil Gullam on receiving the Master Certificate from The Furniture Makers Company!
Woodworking and Gender Project: 6-Week Workshop Experience
Ready to take your first steps into the furniture-making industry? This 6-week course offers hands-on training, technical skills, and the support you need to build your confidence and pursue a career in furniture. Whether you’re a recent graduate, career switcher, or looking for an entry point, this programme is tailored for you. Application are now open for our 6-week workshop experience as part of our Woodworking and Gender Project.
myForest at Harper Adams University
For the third year in a row Paul Orsi, Sylva Foundation’s Director of Operations, donated two days of his time to support undergraduates and those on degree level apprenticeships at Harper Adams University. The focus this year was on woodland creation (as part of a wider Forestry Module) and Paul was able to show the…
Take part in our Woodworking and Gender Equality 2024 Survey
Are you part of the UK’s Woodworking or Furniture-making industry? If so, we want to hear from you, whether you are an employer, worker, teacher or student. You are invited to take part in our national survey.
Home-grown, handcrafted stools win Wood Award – connecting students with natural heritage
Made from homegrown ash, this Sylva Foundation and National Trust collaboration of hand-crafted stools connecting education, heritage and sustainable woodland management has won top prize in the Production category of the Wood Awards 2024.
Welcome to our new Woodworking and Gender Project Coordinator
We are delighted to welcome Cathrin (Cat) Poppensieker to the Sylva team. Cat will lead our new Woodworking and Gender Project, funded by The National Heritage Lottery Fund and other generous supporters. The project aims to address the significant gender imbalance in the heritage woodworking sector. The project envisions a transformed woodworking industry, driven by…
Wood School stools shortlisted for prestigious Wood Awards
Wood School stools shortlisted for prestigious Wood Awards
We are very proud and excited that the Ebworth stools have been shortlisted for the Production Made Furniture category of this year’s Wood Awards.