Brian Crozier, originally from the Scottish Borders, is a former social worker and mental health officer.

He’s now proving himself to be a gifted woodworker, and is embarked on making a beautifully-contoured dining table.

He has a particular love of local hardwoods, and his table, in olive ash and sycamore, will have a top of four sycamore planks edged with olive ash.

Brian’s thinking was to design and make a piece that wouldn’t be too demanding, and therefore something that he could make well.

It’s an approach that we fully endorse, because at this stage on the professional course it’s all about learning and practicing basic skills.

Brian first came to visit the school in the spring of 2017 before enrolling on one of our one-week introductory courses that summer.

That gave him a taste for woodworking as a new career and, after graduation, Brian would like to specialise in the design and manufacture of sheds and shepherd’s huts.

Because of their flexibility, shepherd’s huts continue to grow in popularity and are used for everything from garden offices and gyms to spare bedrooms and holiday accommodation.

For example, our own shepherd’s hut on the Chippendale campus is currently being used as a physiotherapy studio by Kirsty Mackellar Therapies – and helping to keep our students fit and healthy!