January 2025 Newsletter

January 17, 2025Cheril Barber

And just like that, it's January. 2025.

The weather has been a bit fickle, with the summer sun blazing to thunder and hailstorms crashing down. Despite the unpredictable weather, the tick over from midnight at the end of one year to the start of the next year is energizing and there's a collective rise in spirits with the possibilities a new year brings. Coming off the back of last year, which was a difficult year for many, there seems to be a shift in the atmosphere. People want to smile more, worry less, and spend more time doing things we love, with people we enjoy. Here at the school, we feel that way, too. We're excited about 2025 and and the possibilities of what's to come.

December 2024 Newsletter

January 17, 2025Cheril Barber

Is it really that time? Holidays and the end of the year? It always seems to come as a bit of a shock that we're here already. Don't you think?

It's also that time when we tend to reflect on the past year. 2024 was a little different for the school, a time of transitions and readjustments. There was no Full Time Furniture Makers Programme this year, which had only been misseed twice before, in 2011 and 2016. So we packed in as many short courses as we could. Was wonderful to meet new students and see our returning students again.

November 2024 Newsletter

January 16, 2025Cheril Barber

Welcome to the November newsletter

As the weather turns on a dime from glorious sunshine to downpours, this has also been a month of mixed emotions. We've had some wonderful news in hearing of Lou and James' engagement, and we wish them every possible happiness together. We've also being struck with tragedy that has shaken all who knew Will Bayliss.

With the end of the year in sight, we want to send to you, our whānau, our gratitude that we have you to share our highs and lows with.

October 2024 Newsletter

October 31, 2024Cheril Barber

Welcome to the October newsletter

It's been busy in the workshop this month, with 7 short courses running in October. The mornings are still chilly, but the afternoons are warming up nicely. We're enjoying having more days with the roller doors open and lunches outside on the picnic tables

September 2024 Newsletter

September 04, 2024Cheril Barber

Welcome to the latest newsletter

July 2024 Newsletter

July 26, 2024Cheril Barber

Our Open Day at the end of last month was a ROARING success with over 100 people calling in to check us out, say hello and watch some demos.  It was great to see so many people showing enthusiasm and interest in what we do here, and of course the ever-entertaining steam bending demonstration always goes down a treat.  Thank you to everyone who made the day such a success.

June 2024 Newsletter

June 20, 2024Cheril Barber

Greetings from the workshop - thanks for taking the time to read our latest newsletter and hopefully there's something that sparks your interest. 

We are just about half way through the year and already plans are well underway for the 2025 short course programme which will be up on the website in the next few weeks.  

You may not realise that we are a not-for-profit organisation and a registered charity based on the fact that we are the only dedicated woodworking school in New Zealand.  As part of our requirements to the Charities Services / Ngā Rātonga Kaupapa Atawhai we have to annually report on our finances and performance.  A very heartwarming statistic we can share with you is that in both 2022 and 2023 the percentage of our students who return for another course is a whopping 59%.  This figure may. be a little distorted post-Covid, but even so it feels like a good excuse to brag!  Seriously though, our sincere thanks to you, our students, for supporting the school by continuing to enrol in our courses and workshops.

April 2024 Newsletter

April 24, 2024Cheril Barber

Greetings from the workshop - a nice sunny day here in Nelson with the Autumn colours and cooler mornings giving a real feel that the seasons have changed. Here we are almost at the end of April and after a very busy few months we have been able to take a bit of a breather and work on some serious course planning for the future.

March 2024 Newsletter

March 14, 2024Cheril Barber

Welcome to our latest newsletter 
Autumn is on it's way 
Time to put the sunscreen away
Hone in and zone into your/our workshop to play

February 2024 Newsletter

February 12, 2024Cheril Barber

Happy February !

The holidays are almost over and it seems like everyone is starting to settle back into a more routine pace of life.  Here in Nelson the summer has been glorious and the sea a very nice temperature to dip in and cool off at the end of the working day.

December 2023 Newsletter

December 18, 2023Cheril Barber

Merry Christmas / Meri Kirihimete from us all here

Well, 2023 flew by with a hiss and a roar and our busy and tired team are hunkering down for a well deserved rest!

Thank you to each and everyone of you who have joined us here for a course this year – it’s been a pleasure and a blast, and the feedback we continually receive is very complimentary and that makes it all the more worth while.  For those of you who haven’t got around to hanging out in the workshop with us then we look forward to seeing you here soon.