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30/04/2012

Finlay and Harting School children at Forest School

A unique two-day fundraising Weekend in the Woods takes place on June 23rd and 24th in aid of a new outdoor classroom and community building at Harting Primary School in South Harting, near Petersfield.

At the heart of the event will be a ONE TIME opportunity to view a stunning round timber-frame eco-woodland house in Elsted – home to local charcoal producer Chris Wall-Palmer and his family, wife Lucy and four children.
 
The two-day event is so far supported by:
o    The South Downs National Park Authority
o    The National Trust
o    St Wilfred’s Hospice
o    Cowdray Estate Forestry Department
o    Ballards Brewery……..and more.

This event promises to be an inspirational forum to anyone who shares an interest in sustainable living, traditional building, woodland crafts and the future of our green and pleasant land.

Tours of Chris and Lucy’s cruck-frame straw bale house, (see www.charcoalburners.co.uk for more information), will give a valuable insight into this beautiful structure and the appeal of a sustainable woodland lifestyle - built using local materials and traditional techniques by Chris Wall-Palmer, with the valuable input of renowned local natural builder Ben Law. 

Lucy explains"Three of our four children attend Harting School which has always impressed us with its attitude and policies towards sustainability. Chris and I have been planning and building our own sustainable home in  our woodland for four years. We are delighted to be able to support the school by opening our home and hosting this fundraising woodland fair. We hope that the 'Weekend in the Woods will open people's eyes to the possibilities of living in an eco-friendly way - as well as open their pockets to donate money towards the school's outdoor classroom - an extremely exciting and worthwhile project."

Visitors will be treated to witnessing experienced skilled craftsmen at work as well as big machinery demonstrations. There will be opportunities to take part in hands-on workshops which will educate and appeal to all ages.

The following is a small selection of the stalls and activities:
-  Charcoal burning             
- Chair making
- Saw milling                
- Forest School workshops 
- Den building                 
-Cob mixing, construction and sculpture
- Post and rail making            
- Woodland theme fancy dress
-  Big machinery demonstrations  
- Plant stalls   
- Wood Carving             
- Story telling
- Shingle cutting 

Food and drink will be available to buy throughout the weekend.

Admission to ‘Weekend in the Woods’ is free, however for those who do come along to enjoy the activities and atmosphere, a voluntary donation would be most welcome and will go towards the construction of the school’s outdoor classroom, which has been designed by volunteers and will be built by Ben Law, with his team and the local community. 

For more information on this project see www.harting-roundhouse.org.uk

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