The Sylva Wood Centre in South Oxfordshire — dedicated to innovation in home-grown wood — will open in 2015. We are now inviting expressions of interest from existing Small and Medium Enterprises whose main business relates to wood, and from fledgling businesses.
Commercial Leases
Units are available to rent by small and medium enterprises whose business is related to wood.
- Purpose-built self-contained units dedicated for use by wood-based businesses. 3 phase electrics throughout. Roller shutter access to main building. High levels of natural light.
- Unit sizes from 145 to 2,000 square feet.
- Excellent facilities including communal kitchen and rest room, toilets, shower, phone, internet.
- Covered external space available to rent.
- Access to Teaching Workshop provides opportunities for those wishing to run courses.
- Users will benefit from joining a community of like-minded craftspeople and businesses, with the potential to share resources and collaborate, and increase the profile of their business.
- Attractive rural location yet close to major urban centres with good transport links.
Download information sheet – you are welcome to circulate this among your contacts.
Business Incubation
Through the Wood Centre we also aim to foster new talent and encourage enterprise. ‘Business Incubation Units’ are available for fledgling wood-based businesses, featuring affordable subsidised rent and easy-in/easy-out flexible terms. Users will have access to the same excellent facilities available to established SMEs, and will also benefit from:
- gaining support for your business by being part of a community of users.
- expanding your contacts and networks.
- exploring opportunities for work collaboration.
Applications are considered on an individual basis. Download application information
A great idea. Something we have talked about here in the Chilterns for over ten years since the TWIG project (which ended in 2002) but it never managed to happen. I do hope it is a great success.
As someone particularly interested in the passing on of skills I can only hope that academia or a perceived lack of academic ability will not be allowed preclude those young people with natural or inherent apptitudes for the aquisition of skill from access to this project. Whilst it is important to offer young businesses the opportunities to develop it is also important to offer young people the same level of opportunity. Far too often these days before any young person can embark on a programme designed to allow them to aquire skills they must satisfy a level of academic achievement which often proves almost or totally irrelevant to the programme.
For many young people this academic achievement is often not possible due to medical conditions such as dyslexia but they still have high levels of potential to create things. Unfortunately the system labels them as persons lacking in ability and avenues for them to progress are difficult to find. Someone like Ted can offer the same inspiration as Fred Dibnah has done to so many through his television series. Unfortunately I live in Scotland otherwise I would be around there as often as I could
Great idea. There is a lot of talent in Britain working in wood.