Nick Edwards, Master of the Worshipful Company of Turners
Nick Edwards, Master of the Worshipful Company of Turners

For the sixth year, Axminster Tools & Machinery has supported hands-on woodturning taster sessions for Explorer Scouts and Senior Section Guides at the 24 hour activity packed camp Gilwell 24. The camp is held annually at Gilwell Park, the home of Scouting in the UK and this year the camp was attended by over 5,000 young people and their leaders.

Woodturning at Gilwell 24 was organised by East Herts Woodturners with support from several other AWGB clubs and some volunteer professional turners. At the event over 170 young people and their leaders experienced hands-on woodturning taster sessions. After an initial introductory talk and a safety briefing, the participants had about half an hour on a lathe supervised by an experienced turner and made a small wooden item such as a toadstool, dibber, wand or whistle. In addition, to the taster sessions there were two turners demonstrating turning and an Instant Gallery displaying a variety of turned items.

The woodturning taster session area was equipped with 18 Axminster and Jet lathes. Axminster loaned six lathes for the event. The Worshipful Company of Turners also supported the woodturning activity; Nick Edwards, the Master of the Company, visited the camp and even did some turning.

Instant gallery display at Gilwell 24
Instant gallery display at Gilwell 24

John Leach of East Herts Woodturners said: "Young people are the future and life blood of woodturning. The organisers would like to acknowledge the generous and invaluable support of the Worshipful Company of Turners, Axminster Tools & Machinery, Chestnut Products, Henry Taylor Tools and Birchanger Wood Trust for helping to make the 2015 Gilwell 24 event successful."