About the workshop

Saturday 1st June and Sunday 2nd June 2024

Spend a weekend deep in the heart of the beautiful, peaceful and ancient Wyre Forest making charcoal in a traditional way as it would have been during the hey-day of the local charcoal industry.

Firstly we will learn about coppicing – what it means and how we do it to create a useful product – in our case to turn the cut stems into charcoal. However we will discuss other uses, why this traditional woodland management technique nearly died out and consider its revival.

We will experiment with 3 or 4 different ways of making charcoal and you will be able to take a bag home with you at the end of the weekend.

A significant element of the weekend in the forest will simply be enjoying the peace and quiet of the beautiful surroundings. You will go home refreshed and revitalised, having spent time connecting with nature, learning a new skill, working hard in the outdoors and feasting on pasture-fed ‘happy’ meat.

Camping will be available for participants only and is included in the cost. Refreshments will be available throughout the weekend and an evening campfire meal of local produce is also included in the cost. You will need to bring packed lunches for Saturday and Sunday which can be stored in a fridge on site.
For further details please email events@wyreclt.org.uk

 The session will take place at St George’s Farm, Tanner’s Hill, Bewdley DY12 2LS.

Please note

• This course is suitable for beginners.
• This course is only available for over-16s.
• This workshop is practical by nature, and participants will need to have a reasonable level of fitness and mobility to take part and enjoy the activities.
• This will take place outside. Participants must ensure they are appropriately dressed for the activity. WCLT reserves the right to prevent a participant from taking part in the activity if they are not wearing suitable clothes and footwear. A full kit list will be issued in advance to all participants.
• Camping is available for particpiants only.
• If you book a place on a workshop, but are then no longer able to attend, you will not be entitled to a refund. If you would like to transfer your booking to another workshop, we shall make reasonable efforts (subject to availability) to rearrange the booking, but shall not provide any guarantee to this effect.
• WCLT reserves the right to cancel a workshop. This will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Those with pre-booked places will be offered a choice of alternative dates.

More information 

The Wyre Community Land Trust helps manage and conserve the wildlife and habitats of the Wyre Forest and provides opportunities for the local community to learn and engage with the natural environment and heritage crafts.

This Charcoal-making weekend course is part of our Ruskin Club nature and heritage crafts programme. Workshops are held in Ruskin Land, in the heart of the Wyre Forest, and are led by the Wyre Community Land Trust’s craft tutors. During this workshop, you will learn about the history, wildlife benefits and management techniques of coppicing within the Wyre Forest, and have a go at some coppice crafts using traditional hand tools.

The Ruskin Club is inspired by John Ruskin (1819-1900), the Victorian artist and social critic, who’s vision for Ruskin Land was for it to be ‘beautiful, peaceful and fruitful’. Ruskin wanted everyone to see and enjoy the unspoiled, inspirational beautify of the world, both in nature and in art. He argued that work should be creative and so he influenced the revival of rural industries and handicrafts.