The UK Carpenters Fellowship held a timber grading training day in the New Forest, Hampshire on Saturday 29th June 2001. This was well attended by 30 or so delegates and presenters.

The morning was spent listening to presentations by Christopher Mettam of TRADA, Peter Ross (Ove Arup - retired) and Jean-Yves Riaux (Ma tre Charpentier) held inside Nigel Challis's own personal oak and steel framed conference centre. There was a robust discussion and exchange of views with the assembled body of carpenters able to provide valuable input to the ongoing development of design values and definition of acceptable / suitable timber criteria.

Madam Challis provided a "bon repast pour le dejeuner" served in the marquee erected especially for this occassion on the stately lawns at Challis Towers. Merci !

The afternoon saw a change of location to East Brothers sawmill at The Sawmills in West Tytherley (call 01794 340270). We were well received with refreshments provided by the East Brothers including an absolutely splendid decorated cake prepared especially for this occassion by Roger East's wife. Thank you !

A tour of the mill followed to witness the separate soft (Douglas fir & pine) and hardwood (oak & beech) production lines and timber sorting / stacking and storage areas. Christopher Mettam examined some of the oak timber stock and gave a good explanation as to how current timber grading methodology is interpreted and applied. The assembled body contributed their own input and personal experience as to how they specified or placed orders with mills to obtain timber that was "fit for purpose".

This day was perfect and was a shinning example of how the UK Carpenters Fellowship is beginning to pull together and also how it is now becoming more able to exert some influence and direction into the future development of standards and codes of practice employed in the UK big timber sector.

Let's have more days like this please.

Regards

Ken Hume