Earlier this year, Fiona Gilfillan from Tranent in East Lothian became the second student on our month-long intermediate course which we only added to the curriculum this year.

She’s long been a keen hobbyist, and first came to the Chippendale school two years ago on one of our one-week introductory courses.

However, when she realised how much she enjoyed woodworking, she knew that her old life as a self-employed management consultant was no longer for her.

Fiona now becomes the first of our students to have been on our introductory, intermediate, and professional courses.

She’s lucky in that she has a workshop near her home and has made furniture for friends and family using, for example, old scaffolding boards.

During her intermediate course, Fiona made a beautiful elm and ash console table and learned restoration skills – and, as part of the flexible intermediate course, she brought in an old table to restore.

She particularly likes restoration because she says that she “likes fixing stuff.”

She initially thought that the professional course was too much of a commitment but her obvious enjoyment she takes from woodworking, and the advice of tutors helped sway her.

Details of our intermediate course can be found here, with students able to specify, subject to demand, when they would like to start.  The school only takes a maximum of two intermediate students at any one time, maximising one-to-one teaching time.

We wish Fiona every success during her year with us.