An office desk, a coffee table and a model of a gorilla have helped secondary school and college pupils succeed in the 2008 National Student Woodworking Competition.
A record number of entries in excess of 250 were received for the competition, with gold, silver and bronze prizes awarded across three age groups. The competition is sponsored by timber supplier Fitchett & Woollacott Ltd.
In the A-level group, Michael Barber, of Sackville School, Kent, took gold for his laminated chair in beech; James Borrell, from Colchester Royal Grammar School, claimed silver for his oak treasure chest; and James Hale, from Stowe School, Buckinghamshire, was awarded bronze for his oak office desk.
GCSE winners included David Holgate, from The Campion School, Hornchurch, who claimed gold for his chess/coffee table in oak, teak and walnut; Harry Byrne, of St Albans School, who took silver for his ash food preparation unit; and Matthew Lari, St Illtyds High School, Cardiff, who was awarded bronze for his pine bedside cabinet.
Female students topped the bill in the Years 8 and 9 group, with Nadine Simmons and Hannah Smith taking gold and silver respectively. Ms Simmons, of Oriel Specialist Maths & Computing College, Norfolk, was rewarded for her mahogany coffee table; and Ms Smith, from Debenham High School, Suffolk, won with her storage box made from Scots pine and iroko.
Chris Tunbridge, of Warwick School, was awarded bronze for his walnut and ash gorilla model.
“It’s very encouraging to see such flair among young people in both the design and skilful use of a range of timbers,” said TRADA’s head of marketing and information Jeremy Vibert, who presented the awards.
Seven schools were also praised, with Kingdown Community School, Wiltshire; Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Walsall; Sir John Leman High School, Suffolk; and Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technical College, West Midlands, ranked first to fourth for their consistent quality of entries and effort in presentation. Honywood Community Science School, Essex; New College, Telford; and Royal High School, Bath were highly commended.
