Pupils get lessons in life skills, woodwork from guild members

Schools no longer teach woodwork so the men at the Manawatu¯ Woodworkers Guild decided to teach school kids the basics.

Executive member and tutor Allan Sanson says woodwork is a dying art.

“I used to love getting out in the shed as a kid and making things.”

Co-ordinator Mike Smith and Allan say they're teaching a life skill and they've watched how some of the students approached the tasks.

“We're filling a space and helping the community,” Sanson said.

The group has been holding the oneweek holiday class for five years now and places are at a premium.

The October 8-12 class is already full.

‘We’re

filling a space and helping the community.’

Smith says the class is popular and there's a waiting list if anyone was unable to attend.

There's a lot of preparation work for the four woodwork tutors.

Carving birds or fish is messy and creates a lot of noise.

Gary Sparrow will teach his group of four how to make a bowl on a lathe and four students will use a scroll saw to cut a jig saw.

The other four students will use hammer and nails to assemble a stool which will also require measuring the wood before assembling.