Lorraine Ellery Matthews

Yes, so I specialise in the willow craft and we run courses throughout the year. Paul, my husband, is the hedge layer and he runs courses for hedge laying and drottle hurdle making. throughout the coppicing season, which is October through to the end of March. It creates a runway for animals, somewhere for them to be protected.

Yes, so I specialise in the willow craft and we run courses throughout the year. Paul, my husband, is the hedge layer and he runs courses for hedge laying and drottle hurdle making. throughout the coppicing season, which is October through to the end of March. It creates a runway for animals, somewhere for them to be protected.

We get lots of small mammals in the hedges, the birds nesting in the hedges, but also what's really important as well is the fact that a hedge will sequester so much carbon, and that's not just in the hedge itself, it's also in the subsoil and the root system below the ground. So it's a very important heritage skill that needs to be passed on to the next generation.

We get lots of small mammals in the hedges, the birds nesting in the hedges, but also what's really important as well is the fact that a hedge will sequester so much carbon, and that's not just in the hedge itself, it's also in the subsoil and the root system below the ground. So it's a very important heritage skill that needs to be passed on to the next generation.

And that's what we're really all about. Yeah, these traditional crafts and so on. Absolutely, yeah. So with me, with my willow craft, Paul with his hedge laying, we have a whole team of individuals that come and support us for any group activities that we do as well. And they all have their own specialities as well and skill sets.

And that's what we're really all about. Yeah, these traditional crafts and so on. Absolutely, yeah. So with me, with my willow craft, Paul with his hedge laying, we have a whole team of individuals that come and support us for any group activities that we do as well. And they all have their own specialities as well and skill sets.

My background was working in the scholarly publishing industry, in fact, for many years. I'd been in the corporate world for quite a long time. But when I met Paul, things did change. I still carried on travelling and working, but I started getting quite jealous, actually, of him. Him being outside. Yeah, and outside. And I'd reached a stage where I was ready for a change, to be honest.

My background was working in the scholarly publishing industry, in fact, for many years. I'd been in the corporate world for quite a long time. But when I met Paul, things did change. I still carried on travelling and working, but I started getting quite jealous, actually, of him. Him being outside. Yeah, and outside. And I'd reached a stage where I was ready for a change, to be honest.

I was travelling all over the world. I covered Asia Pacific, the Americas. Yeah, I was doing a lot of travelling. And I have a family as well, so it was nice to finally be able to slow down, yes, and look at what else I could do.

I was travelling all over the world. I covered Asia Pacific, the Americas. Yeah, I was doing a lot of travelling. And I have a family as well, so it was nice to finally be able to slow down, yes, and look at what else I could do.

And I wasn't quite sure initially, but I did make a change and I decided that that was going to start by supporting Paul in the business and creating the business as it is today. And through that process, I then got involved.

And I wasn't quite sure initially, but I did make a change and I decided that that was going to start by supporting Paul in the business and creating the business as it is today. And through that process, I then got involved.

in going around collecting materials that he was discarding and that started with the hazel and making wreaths for Christmas and one thing led to another and now I have a whole range, over 30 different types of workshops that I offer and continuing to learn from Paul as well as learning from other specialists in the industry.

in going around collecting materials that he was discarding and that started with the hazel and making wreaths for Christmas and one thing led to another and now I have a whole range, over 30 different types of workshops that I offer and continuing to learn from Paul as well as learning from other specialists in the industry.

infused so you're you're yeah you really picked up on that well for me that's what it's all about and this is what i love and i i did strive to think well what skill set have i got to bring and i thought well i've always loved bringing people together so even in my previous industry i was the one that you know arranged the parties and the get togethers and and everything and i love training people as well so it's all been about bringing people together and being in the outdoors has always been there as well we have dogs so we're

infused so you're you're yeah you really picked up on that well for me that's what it's all about and this is what i love and i i did strive to think well what skill set have i got to bring and i thought well i've always loved bringing people together so even in my previous industry i was the one that you know arranged the parties and the get togethers and and everything and i love training people as well so it's all been about bringing people together and being in the outdoors has always been there as well we have dogs so we're

Paul and I always walk the dogs and that's how we got to know each other. And so, yeah, we both share that love of nature and gardening. And I just love bringing people to one of our locations like this and sharing this gorgeous view and chatting and, yeah, just being real.

Paul and I always walk the dogs and that's how we got to know each other. And so, yeah, we both share that love of nature and gardening. And I just love bringing people to one of our locations like this and sharing this gorgeous view and chatting and, yeah, just being real.

Anyone from 19 to 85, I mean, it really is a wide range. Yeah, there are predominantly a lot of middle-aged women like myself that want to come and do things like the Willow sculptures, where they want to sit and just take time themselves, where they want time out. Is it kind of mindfulness to actually get your, I was going to say get your hands dirty.

Anyone from 19 to 85, I mean, it really is a wide range. Yeah, there are predominantly a lot of middle-aged women like myself that want to come and do things like the Willow sculptures, where they want to sit and just take time themselves, where they want time out. Is it kind of mindfulness to actually get your, I was going to say get your hands dirty.