Westonbirt wood sales stopping for a long time :-(

[Rhossydd]

The wood sale at Westonbirt arboretum in December might be their last.
http://www.fowa.org.uk/news_and_events/wood_sales
and
http://www.fowa.org.uk/your_westonbirt/blog/?p=4579

Speaking to their volunteers today I learned it may be over nine months before they can have a sale at Westonbirt in 2015 and they're having to sell as much of their stock as possible in the last sale. They also seemed concerned that the management at Westonbirt weren't very committed to the sales continuing, despite the financial benefits the sales provide.
If you've bought wood from them in past it will be worth emailing the management there to support the venture and encourage them to provide some new facilities for them.

Their current stock levels are fairly low compared to the past, but there's some nice wood in stick that they'll need to shift in December. Today there was quite a lot of Yew and Oak, plus some silver birch, larch, Indian pencil Cedar, mostly about 1.5" thick air dried waney edged boards.
There's also some thicker stuff that's still pretty green.

Turners might be tempted by their log pile for firewood being sold by the garden centre (where you need to park for the wood sale now). Some surprisingly large bits of Oak, Yew and Silver Birch today. All totally green and freshly cut. At £15 a boot full it could be a cheap supply for turning wood as you can pick through it yourself and just choose suitable lumps for turning.

As a taster, here's my boot load from today's sale;

Mainly oak 1.5" & 2" thick with some glorious figuring hiding beneath the dust, plus a nice board of Beech.
Also hiding in the bottom left is an interesting log of spalted Box.
Not easy to exactly compare prices, £85 in total, but reckon I paid about half the price of a regular timber merchant. I also like the idea that it's for a non-profit organisation that grows trees too.

 

[AndyT]

That's bad news!

I've bought wood from there - there are some more pics in this thread showing what a great place it is

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/a-nice-place-to-buy-some-wood-t43113.html

But thanks for the heads up.

 

[Rhossydd]

It was your post Andy that inspired me to visit last year and buy a load of great timber. Sadly there's nowhere near as much stock left now as shown in your pictures.

It's disappointing that the management at Westonbirt seem to be less than fully supportive of the scheme. It's a great idea to ensure that their timber is utilised and appreciated properly, rather be regarded as waste and used for firewood. Right now they can't even use mains power for tools, so to get timber cut down to fit in people's cars it's all down to hand saws, crazy given the machinery sitting idle in the workshop.

Given some creative input and support the scheme could sell timber more effectively and more profitably, plus there's also the potential to utilise the materials and enthusiasm of the volunteers to offer further educational projects to a wider audience.

I just hope that common sense prevails and the volunteers will be able to continue their good work in the future.

 

[rafezetter]

I've never been to these sales (to westonbirt at all infact), so if anyone is considering going to either sale in December I'd love to cadge a ride I live in Bristol not far from the main motorway junction. Willing to pay petrol and lunch is on me .

 

[MrYorke]

I'm thinking about popping along and I'm in Cardiff so would be driving last Bristol on the M4. Would be willing to give a lift in my van.