Learn green woodwork
You see all our courses, dates and even book directly, on our Calendar.
All courses are held at our outdoor workshop at Hackney City Farm. Please dress for all weather, sturdy footwear is recommended. Warm clothes in winter, keep your feet covered in summer and waterproofs whenever. We have a tarpaulin to protect us from the worst of it and will continue to work outside in all of it.
These courses are for over 18s only. We also teach courses for children and young people.
Low income and unwaged concessions
- We offer low income concessions and unwaged concessions on many of our courses. There are a limited number of concessionary spaces on each course. There is no eligibility criteria, these discounts are available for anyone who needs them. This is a trust based system, we do not require proof or even an explanation of the rate you choose.
- We also run projects with other community groups, depending on funding these are free or very cheap to join. See if you are eligible to join any of our current projects.
Gift vouchers
You can buy gift cards through our booking partners Obby.co.uk. These are valid on over 2500 classes available on the Obby site, including all London Green Wood courses. Gift cards can only be redeemed through Obby.co.uk and will not work on bookings through our own website (the commission is different). Gift vouchers are valid for 1 year and are non refundable or exchangeable.
Obby gift vouchers are also on sale at Waitrose!
If you are buying a course as a gift we recommend you join the course together, it’s more fun that way.
Our courses
Introduction to the workshop for new members
Our most in-depth course and one that can be adapted to all levels of experience. Become safe and confident with an axe and a knife, learn to use a shave horse and try pole-lathe turning.
4 day course, includes a sloyd knife to keep. Courses dates are either over a long weekend Thursday-Sunday, or weekly on Fridays.
Free places available for asylum seekers.
Make a spatula
Learn about working with the grain, the basis for all woodworking. Use a shave horse and drawknife to make cooking utensils. Half day course, a perfect taster course.
Spoon carving
Learn safe knife grips and carve a spoon from a locally grown tree. A great way to get started if you haven’t done much woodwork before. Also suitable for existing spoon addicts who want to improve their carving.
Bowl carving
Carve a bowl from a log using an axe, an adze, gouges and drawknife. A lot more physically demanding than a spoon but very rewarding! Different from bowl turning (see below).
Bowl turning
Learn how to turn a wooden bowl outdoors, using a foot powered pole lathe and simple hand tools. The only place in London teaching non-electric bowl turning!
Improving your Spooning
A one-to-one course for people who’ve carved spoons before, a few or many, and want to focus on design and technique.
Contact us to arrange a date.
Private courses, making parties and experiential events
If you have a small group of people who’d like to get together and make stuff together, you can make a group booking for a date that suits you. Birthdays, parties, bonding, away-days, presents or for no good reason at all.
Please contact us to enquire about a private booking. The more notice you give us the more likely we are to be able to help you.