Trug Making Courses 2011

[Bill_Sanders]

Hi All,

I am running the following Trug making courses this year.

28th/29th May, Harris Coppice, Little Wenlock, Shropshire. (Camping in the woods is an option, but facilities are basic)

4th/5th June, Brabins Tea Shop and Gallery, Chipping, Lancashire.

2nd/3rd July, Brabins Tea Shop and Gallery, Chipping, Lancashire.

Details and course costs vary according to location, but if anyone is interested then send me an e-mail

billthetrug@hotmail.co.uk

[robin wood]

Sounds good Bill,

Feel free to add a bit of biog or post a link to a site where potential customers can read up a bit to know if you are the man to do a trug course with. Maybe some images of your trugs or previous courses?

[Bill_Sanders]

Hi Robin,

a bit of a blog seems a good idea.

I did a Trug making course at the Green Wood Trust (as it was then) 17 years ago and have been making them or demonstrating the making of them ever since. On the 2 day course each person will make a No 5 Garden trug using traditional materials and techniques. They will also get an insight into the history of the Trug, why the different sizes and shapes and the added bonus of taking a Trug home made by their fair hands.

I have been teaching the Trug course at the Green Wood Centre (Coalbrookdale) for the last 5 years. I will also be teaching the 2 courses at Prinknash Abbey (that were advertised in the last Bodgers Gazette) and at Weekend in the Woods for the North West Coppice Association.

On the photo front I have to admit I am the worlds worst at remembering to take any when I am doing courses, Hopefully that will be remedied on my next course.

[Robin Fawcett]

... to know if you are the man to do a trug course with.

Are there many people running trug making courses?

[Bill_Sanders]

Not that I am aware of, in the Rural Crafts survey report (published in 2006 if I remember correctly) it stated that there were only 14 Trug makers in the country, of which only 4 were full time. Since then the story seems to be 1 death, 1 retirement and a couple packing in through ill health, so there are even less around (one of the reasons I want to pass on the skill is to keep it alive).
Although I am aware there are other Trug makers around,the only one I have met is the Tutor on my course. He was working at one of the Trug making factories in Hersmonceux in Sussex, but they had decided to go more mechanised and he was keen to carry out the trade in a traditional manner so he left.

[Bill_Sanders]

I will be teaching a trug making course at the Green Wood Centre (Coalbrookdale, Shropshire) on the 22nd/23rd of October 2011.

If anyone is interested it can be booked via the following link

http://www.acreswildwoodlands.co.uk/cou ... ml?c=AW017