The hut that was built by women

One of the projects that has been ticking away in the background over the past year has been a wonderful shepherds hut, designed by Joanna, an architecture student who was living here last year and our amazing Bea, musician in residence. Together, last February, they put their heads together and they decided to built a shepherd’s hut, to be a communal space in the orchard, where our woofers live. This project was also going to provide a chance for people to get involved with a building project who had little carpentry experience, and hopefully mainly women.

We are lucky here, to have an amazing team of craftspeople and woodworkers, men and women, but theres no hiding the gender inbalance in the building industry. So we were thrilled to have a project like this, to offer to people who might not have had the chance to get their hands on some tools before.

The structure was built and the roof was put on, last spring and during the summer, with various wonderful ladies helping (big shout out to Alice, Jo and Cheska for their help) the hut was insulated and the cladding added. Bea and Joanna taught themselves joinery, and made a beautiful set of oak window frames. Flo worked on a timber frame porch and her and Bea worked on wrapping the hut up, ready for a little winter hiatus.

The last few weeks has seen an increase in hut activity, and Flo and Bea (and more wonderful women!) have worked on the ceiling which is now finished, and started laying the floorboards. We’re super excited to see this hut finished and get it over to the orchard, where it can be enjoyed by all our hard working volunteers.

Thanks to all the ladies (and a few men) who have helped with this exciting project over the last year, and if anyone wants to get involevd and lend a hand, just get in touch!