Newsletters
Go to the full newsletter to read about June at the school. https://mailchi.mp/cfw/may2025newsletter?e=18cc7f8a9e
Go to the full newsletter to read about May at the school. https://mailchi.mp/cfw/may2025newsletter?e=18cc7f8a9e
Go to the full newsletter to read about April at the school. Alice’s new adventure, update on our raffle winner, Our Featured Course of “Jigs for the Home Workshop” and 3 weekend courses that are perfect for a get-away. We’ve also got new info about our Scholarship Program, Maker of the Year Awards, and of course, our Wood Quiz, which is a little different this month.
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.
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.
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.
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
Welcome to the latest newsletter
And welcome to Spring - the sun is shining, the daffodils are out, the days are getting longer and the workshop is getting warmer!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Welcome to our latest newsletter – just a quick catch up of what’s been happening here in the workshop – quite a lot actually....so many positive things happening in the world of fine woodworking....
Warm greetings from a beautiful Spring day here in Nelson – the workshop doors are wide open and all is well in our world.
2022 is hurtling towards an end so we thought it timely to keep you posted about what’s on the menu for next year in the hope that we can entice you to come and spend time with us.
Hope this newsletter finds everyone in fine fettle! Read about how we have fared during the recent wild weather, meet the 2022 Furniture Makers’ Programme students, and be inspired by Hape Kiddle’s recent workshop.
