Willow Workshop

We have had another busy willow week working outdoors in the rain and wind suffering for our art with sore throats. Luckily we always travel with a couple of changes of outdoor gear so that we can continue working outside even when the toughest builders have retrated to their vans. We made a new domes at Dolphinholme (lovely name) C of E Primary school and Faith R C School in Liverpool. Next month we will creating a willow area with local volunteers and The National Wildflower Centre at a park in Everton. This is to make a cosy area for families to relax in.
On Wednesday we ran a willow workshop for Wigan Groundwork Trust. This was for local people to have a go at willow work and it was nice that we had 2 lots of father and sons as well as other students. We were relieved that this workshop was held indoors at a local sports centre.

Then it was 2 days at Bootle, Liverpool doing repairs to willow structures that we had built about 4 years ago. we reduced the height of one dome to make it easier for ongoing maintenance. The last day was dreadful - hail, torrential rain and dark, dark skies.

Willow in North Yorkshire

Last week we worked at Sowerby Primary School, Thirsk. We were at the school for 4 days doing some living willow repairs and making a woven wishing tree for their new sensory garden.
The ground was frozen for 2 days so we needed to make planting holes with a hammer and stake. We repaired 3 tunnels and a dome that we had built with the children about 3 years ago. Then we made a snakey tunnel for the reception playground. All the children from reception planted a willow rod and tried out the finished tunnel.
The we moved indoors, working in the school hall to make a tree with the older children. We made the trunk and branches separately for assembly outside so that we were able to get the sculpture out of the school doors.

Of course it rained when we were outside putting the woven tree together!