Free timber to Denbigh High School

If you’ve read any of our Facebook posts, Tweets or bits of our blog recently you’ll have seen us mentioning that we’re giving away free wood to local high schools to help with their woodworking classes. The first school who took advantage of the free timber was Denbigh High School, but what do they make these days in woodwork in schools? Mr Jones (or Sir to the kids!) of Denbigh High School’s CDT/Woodworking Dept. has been kind enough to share some of the recently made projects in the form of pictures below.

Get involved!

If you’re a local North Wales woodworker reading this and think ‘that’s great I want to giveaway scrap wood’ then please get in touch using the form here as we’ve a massive list of schools covering four Counties all looking for wood – it doesn’t have to be MASSIVE pieces they will in most cases plan what they are making to suit the timber they’ve got, do it for the kids!

Show me the pictures!

I’m actually really impressed with the mix of things made (we didn’t make things like this when I was at school!) and the quality of what they are doing at Denbigh High School, please go and have a look below and let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Oak speaker system with superwoofer – think Ted Westie would like that! Being music mad that is the sort of thing I would have loved to make at school, it was also one of the items featured on ITV Wales last week.

What do Denbigh High School think?

The materials that have been donated to the Design and Technology Department are always put to good use. Through the use of these materials we teach pupils a wide range of practical skills and they are able to design products using quality materials. Sourcing these materials locally, which would otherwise be wasted, has provided an ideal opportunity to teach sustainable design and environmental issues. Having a wide range of materials available in the department at no cost allows us to be flexible when designing and making and allows the learners to manufacture products that are of a high standard. The links that we have developed with local companies has contributed towards our pupil’s success in Design and Technology and I am sure that the standard of work that they produce will continue at the same high levels, using recycled and sustainable materials in the future.

Gareth Jones – Head of Faculty, Technical and Vocational, Denbigh High School.

Having free access to different types of natural hardwood such as mahogany and oak, allows me to save some time to focus more on the manufacturing process. In comparison to if I was to buy the wood from a supplier would cost me at least £30-£50. As the school has supplied me with the wood that I needed, I have managed to manufacture my product in time and in a high standard

Ric Laurence Aclaro – Year 12 Product Design, Denbigh High School

Using recycled timber in my birdhouse project has helped me improve my practical skills. I learnt how to use a range of tools safely including woodwork machines. It also helped me understand more about where materials come from and how to select materials from a sustainable source. Using locally sourced materials is also better for the environment.

Tom Eden – Year 11 Denbigh High School

Having free access to recycled oak gave me the opportunity to obtain a range of design ideas for my projects as part of the product design GCSE course. With such materials supplied, I have managed to successfully create a children’s scooter, made from high quality oak.

Marcus Evans – Year 11 product design, Denbigh high school

What do you think?

Please do let us know what you think of the things Denbigh High School pupils are making in woodworking lessons, what is your favorite and what did you make in woodwork back in the day (feel free to share any pictures with us on our Facebook account here) – Me, the one thing that I still have left that was made in school woodwork was a nutcracker. I’ll post a pic if you share this post lots! 🙂

What do other schools make

Since writing this we’ve also given timber to Hawarden High School who again struggle for a source of timber. You can see what they make in woodwork at Hawarden High School and find out what the staff think here.