How do I book you for my school, group
or event?
If you would like to book the Sussex Woodsman to run a
series of practical demonstrations at your school or community event,
then please contact us with details of when and where your event will be
held & the expected duration.
Upon receipt of your enquiry we will call/email you to discuss the available
options and ideas for suitable subject matter to
meet the demands of your event, if required we will arrange a site visit
where we can discuss your requirements in further
detail, as well as showing you the materials and tools we propose to use.
I have never spent time in the woods or carved anything, can I still attend your courses?
We would love to be the people
that introduce you to the wonderful world of green wood crafts,
you don't need any experience to attend our courses.
Are your courses safe?
Our courses are as safe as they
possibly can be, however, please bear in mind that the activities we teach
involve
the use of cutting tools,
such as axes, saws & knives, therefore certain
risks cannot be eliminated without
destroying the unique
character of the
activities,
before undertaking any activity, we will demonstrate the safe way
to handle
and use the tools being
used, and while you
try the activity for yourself, we keep a constant vigil for unsafe
and
dangerous practice.
Are you insured?
Yes, we hold £5m of Public & Product
Liability Insurance with Hiscox UK & Ireland.
A copy of our certificate of insurance can be downloaded from our
Downloads page.
Where will the course be held?
On and around the South Downs
National Park at two sites near to Ashington & Steyning in West Sussex.
What happens if it's raining?
If it's raining, the course will still proceed, we
set-up our outdoor classroom under a large tarp or parachute,
which normally suffices to keep the worst of the weather off of us
We
reserve the right to postpone and/or cancel courses due to adverse/unsafe
weather conditions, in which case
you will be
offered an alternative date on
which to take your course.
Can I book a course to suit my
schedule?
Yes, the dates listed on our Events page are those
dates where we have prior commitments at shows and events,
please contact us to arrange a course to suit your schedule.
Can I bring my own knife
or axe with me?
Yes, you may bring your own
tools with you on any of our courses, as we feel that maintaining tool
familiarity is an important
part of the learning process, however,
your tools will be checked for suitability and general condition before
the course commences.
If we feel your carving tools are not suitable, you will not be allowed to
use them.
What do I need to bring
with me?
Just yourself, unless
otherwise advised, we do recommend bringing a hat and some additional layers
of clothing,
even in the Summer, in the shade of a leafy Oak, it can feel chilly even in
the midday heat. A note book and pen may also be of use.
We
do not supply food on our courses therefore you will need to make provision
for yourself in this respect,
we have a Kelly
Kettle on permanent duty at fixed camp locations, so fresh Tea & Coffee is
available all day and normally on tap,
however, please
bring adequate refreshments with you if directed to do so, don't be fooled into thinking because it's
cold you
don't need as much water, cold is just as much a killer as
heat can be. Alcohol is banned on all of our courses.
What
time do the courses start & end at?
Our day courses typically start at 09:30am and have a minimum duration of
six hours, which, through experience, we
have found to be the ideal course length, as many people will start to become tired
long before the course duration has been achieved.
Start and end times will be confirmed at the time of booking.
Do
I need special clothing?
Clothing should be comfortable and hard wearing, ideally it should be
comprised of several layers as this allows you to remove a
layer if you get too hot or add a layer if you get too cold, please
also ensure that you have adequate water proof clothing with you,
please also
ensure you wear footwear that is suitable for use in the countryside, flip
flops are not suitable footwear.
Is there a toilet?
Yes, we have the use of a "Portaloo", (which is
cleaned and serviced weekly) at our Ashington facility, the toilet is on
site
all year, the woodland site we use has no facilities whatsoever, there are
however plenty of trees to hide behind.
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