I've spent the last three days working with a company called Touchwood Enterprises, helping to run some workshops for them at Bannerman Road and Whitehall Primary schools in Bristol. The children ranged in age from 4 to about 10.
The kids had a great time and got stuck into the jobs so it was a lot of fun, despite heavy rain and gale force winds. We even got a couple of singalongs going - 'Singing in the Rain' anyone?! It certainly put my new waterproofs to the test but they performed well, thank goodness!
I don't think I've ever taught outside in such foul weather for three consecutive days, but the shelter kept the worst out and the young people's enthusiasm was great.
We peeled sweet chestnut logs, used froes and mallets to cleave logs and then drawknives and shavehorses to shape pegs, which were fixed into already-fitted poles to make climbing routes. All the timber worked on is to be used in new play areas being constructed at the schools.
Drawknives and shavehorses are being used to shape pegs in the photo above, with an example of fitted pegs in the play structure shown below:
