The Woodcarving Group meets on a Monday between 10am and 12pm to work on projects which result in some beautiful carvings that are sited in the village.
The first project was to produce a large number of oak posts, each with relief carvings on two sides, which are now positioned around the Millennium Stone. The carvings are all different and reflect aspects of Lincolnshire life with subjects taken from plants, animals, a Green Man and the Royal Air Force.
The next project was to create a number of large seats, each cut from a huge tree trunk and then decorated with relief carvings; they are now situated in the Jubilee Garden.
The Founder of the Sudbrooke Woodcarving Group was Helen Link who has now moved away from Lincoln. We are very pleased that while strolling around the village one day she was passing the Millennium Stone and thought; "What about the possibility of some carved Marker Posts to put around the stone?". As an associate artist with ArtsNK (an organisation based at The Hub in Sleaford that promotes and helps village communities to create and be involved with artwork in their village), it was a great opportunity to start up something on similar lines Sudbrooke.
The idea was presented to the Sudbrooke Parish Council and was received with enthusiasm. A notice was placed in the Sudbrooke News inviting people in the village to take part, learn to carve and be involved in the Marker Post project; a project for the community, by the community. The response was positive and about 15 people turned up and The Sudbrooke Woodcarving Group got under way. This was back in 2009. As all can see from the Marker Posts and seats that are now out there around the Millennium Stone, the project proved to be a great success, both for the village and for all the carvers who truly enjoy the experience as they produce some amazing carvings.
The carving group continued from 2014 with Coral Evans at the helm who is very happy to pass on all the knowledge and skills she has learned from Helen and gained from the many more projects undertaken. Amidst the perceived uncertainty of carving something in wood, there is a lot of fun, laughter, enjoyment and new friendships made, as well as the amazement of suddenly finding untapped creative abilities. It is good to see people discover something within themselves that they never thought they had or could do.
In 2013, the local Sudbrooke Scout Camp had a large oak tree come down in a storm and they kindly offered a large trunk of oak to the Sudbrooke carvers to make a village sign. After careful consideration by the carvers and the Parish Council, it was decided that this was a feasible project and the carving group busily made designs and chipped away producing the beautiful sculpture depicting the four seasons that now stands on the Jubilee Garden.
If you are keen to learn about wood carving and have a little patience, then please do contact Coral Evans on 01522 750031 and she will arrange for you to come along and have a taster session and a cup of tea; no experience necessary, tuition given and there is no cost involved.
Projects come and go and so do the members as you would expect. We have enjoyed posts, seats, the village sign, bird boxes and are currently doing individual projects together that have included a lamp, notice board, bird feeder post, garden stakes and many more. The village group continues and we would love to have more people come and give carving a try.
