Nailsworth Community Workshop reviews

Stuart Rigg reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"The course was amazing, fun, informative, and well run by Gavin and Tom. Clear instruction throughout and support as you laminate, size, shape and string your bow. Even some tips/tricks for using and storing. Pam was a big help with explaining the course and getting us booked on! Friendly group of people leading and taking the course, could not recommend enough. "

Mo Brown reviewed: Creating automata - weekend course. Explore the combination of movement and materials such as wood, wire, metal tube and sheet, found objects and figures.

"Well that was great - rummaging through collections of old tins, strange bits of machinery and all kinds of oddments for pieces to make our creations individual and fabulous! Fi shared her know-how and demonstrated the mechanisms. She showed us how to use the tools and patiently sorted any glitches. It was a really enjoyable, relaxed weekend in well equipped workshops with friendly people. I am very pleased with what I achieved and my automata will remind me of a happy time."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Mo for your review and Im so glad you had a good weekend. Lovely to hear that you enjoyed making some new . Ive sent a copy of what you said along to Fi too Best wishes Pam "

Ela Myszek reviewed: Creating automata - weekend course. Explore the combination of movement and materials such as wood, wire, metal tube and sheet, found objects and figures.

"Two days spent discovering the absolute joy of creating automata. It was a real pleasure to meet Fi Henshall, our tutor, and the community workshop team were so welcoming. The course itself was detailed enough for people who had some art/ crafting/ automaton making experience, but also allowed complete newbies like myself to learn without feeling over-faced. And Fi was a patient, knowledgeable and friendly presence, problem-solving, teaching, chivvying and encouraging. I came away with my head buzzing with ideas. Thank you to all."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Hello there and thank you for taking the time to give us the review. Im so glad you had a good weekend and found it inspiring. Ive shown your review to Fi and she was really touched All the best Pam "

Jenny reviewed: Creating automata - weekend course. Explore the combination of movement and materials such as wood, wire, metal tube and sheet, found objects and figures.

"Writing this on the train home from an amazing weekend, clutching my precious box of automata creations! Fi is a fantastic tutor, super knowledgeable, patient, encouraging and friendly. I have so many ideas for future projects and now feel confident in beginning them. Thank you so much!"

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"So glad you enjoyed the weekend. It was lovely to pop in and see you all so focused and creating some amazing projects. Thank you for talking the time to give us a review and I wish you well in all your future creations. All the best Pam (Ive shown Fi your review and she was really touched)"

Mike reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"This was a great course, we arrived on the Friday and designed our knife, Arian helped to fine tune the designs. I chose a bushcraft knife but there were all sorts of designs and uses. When it came to crafting Arian taught us three crafts, steel work (blade), wood work (handle) and leather work (sheath). Arian created a relaxed atmosphere where you could make your own teas and coffees at anytime and had biscuits on constant supply. I'd really recommend this course to anyone, even if you're not particularly crafty as it was so relaxing and you come away with something you've crafted by yourself. Can't fault anything over the whole weekend and I'll taking this knife with me on many camping trips in the future. All in all 11/10! "

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Mike for this feedback. I'm delighted that the way I run the workshop worked for you. Enjoy using your knife as that is the whole idea! Best regards, and if you have any questions over time be free to get in touch. Thanks for your hard work! Arian"

Seán G reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"A busy but very rewarding weekend. Straight into learning about materials and making from the Friday evening onwards. Start with a metal billet and come away with a quality knife in a leather sheath. Brilliant. Arian is a warm, clever and talented teacher. After all the years he’s been doing this there was not s whiff of complacency or staleness. He obviously still loves what he does and sharing it with people. Funny, attentive and talented. Highly recommended. "

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Kind thanks Sean for this feedback.I'm sure your knife will serve you well for years to come, and become a good friend! Very lovely design, so thank you for your creativity and hard work. Be in touch! Arian"

David reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"What a great weekend course! Tiring but thoroughly enjoyable. Arian is a very knowledgeable and patient instructor. I have never really made anything in my life (well not for 50 years!) and I finished this weekend with an extremely sharp knife with a lovely cherrywood handle all in a lovely leather sheath! I totally recommend Arian's course."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you David for your kind words. I'm delighted that you enjoyed working practically in general, as well as constructing a lovely knife in particular. Glad the sharpness test worked as hoped for! Enjoy your new friend and be in touch with any questions etc. Arian"

Tony Laverick reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"Excellent course. Friendly tutors. Good instruction."

Nick Hardy reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"Fantastic weekend with the wonderful Arian. I can’t recommend it enough."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Nick, for this feedback, as well as your work and creativity throughout the weekend. I really enjoyed that in addition to the practical process itself, you also had the chance to use the deer antler (that followed you around for so many years) for the handle. I'm sure there will be many stories to come over the years! Best regards, and thank you again. Arian"

David Hudson reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"Fantastic course! Very knowledgeable tutors, relaxed atmosphere, quality tools, and great instruction. Really pleased with how the bow turned out, and learned a lot in the process. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding. Highly recommended."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you David its great to hear you had a good weekend and like your bow. Happy shooting Pam"

Nick Bennett reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"This is a brilliant course led by Gavin and Tom, two fantastic tutors who truly understand their subject and effortlessly create a relaxed atmosphere. The time flew by but by the end everyone, no matter how little experience they had at the start of the weekend, finished with a beautiful bow and string. Highly recommend the experience and sense of achievement. "

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Nick - both for the review and taking the time to do it. So glad you enjoyed the weekend and we wish you many happy hours of shooting."

Thomas Woolley reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"A wonderful weekend! The two tutors, Gav and Tom, were clear, helpful, humorous and always watching to ensure that no one was stuck for long. The resources, materials and equipment provided were all plentiful and of good quality. The timing is tight, but achievable and you are never felt rushed beyond your capabilities. I haven't used my bow yet, but even if I never do, the final product is beautiful and lovely to hold."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Thomas. Great that you had a good weekend - so glad you enjoyed the workshop in all its aspects Enjoy your bow. "

Sue Bennett reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"Couldn't be happier with our weekend of longbow making this weekend. Gavin and Tom walked us through every step patiently and effectively, with just the right guidance to make sure we had a fully functioning piece of craftsmanship at the end of the weekend, and that we had very definitely made it ourselves. Whatever your age or stage you're in safe hands here - our daughters (19 and 20) found the weekend just as rewarding as myself and my husband. It was definitely the right choice for an archer to celebrate his 50th birthday."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you for giving us such a lovely review - we are so glad you had a good weekend. Happy shooting "

Nathan reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"An amazing birthday present! Thanks a lot Arian for a great weekend. I never expected that I'd be able to produce a completely unique knife, produced to my own specifications in about two days. I decided to make a fairly unusual kitchen knife, which I half expected to be prompted to move away from. However Arian was more than able to help me turn a square piece of steel into my design (after gently correcting a few minor flaws). If you're looking to do the course, I'd suggest that you have a think about your design or desired use before turning up. While you could do this in the first evening, I'd suggest that you'll get the most from the experience if you take a bit more time working out what you'd like. "

Mig Caamano reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"Thanks for a brilliant course, Arian and thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us. Great tutoring style, relaxed and informative. Never felt rushed and always felt I could approach you to ask anything. Every stage was well explained and demonstrated. Thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to more courses. Great venue also with all the tools and equipment needed for everything. Could do with a workshop like that myself! Very pleased with my knife and sheath and looking forward to using it for many years to come, hopefully"

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Mig, glad it all worked out exactly as you say, that's the whole idea. Enjoy using your knife and hope to see you again at some point. Arian"

Alan reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"Arian leads you through the process of creating a beautiful and useful artefact in a relaxed, informative way. This was a fabulous weekend spent with a group of like minded individuals. Thoroughly enjoyable and I walked away with the knowledge of how to repeat the process. Couldn’t have asked for more."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Alan. It was a really good weekend, i enjoyed guiding you all through the process, and seeing the paper patterns from Friday evening evolve into beautiful knives by Sunday afternoon. Your bushcraft knife is excellent, thank you for your focus and hard work. And really, the process is just starting, I love how through use our knives become our own and weather into a reliable friend. Enjoy! Arian"

James Erlam reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"Thanks Arian. Just completed the weekend course on knife making and it flew by. Loads of learning and practical applications I’ve not done before but under skilled and relaxed tutorship I managed to bring home a knife and sheath I’m incredibly proud of. I enjoyed every minute of it and have basic skills now to further enrich my life and show-off to friends and pass on to my kids. "

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you for this feedback James. I really enjoyed the weekend, you made an excellent kitchen knife, and the sheath worked great too. I'm sure it'll give you years of service. Enjoy!"

Jon Avetoomyan reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"I cannot recommend the course highly enough, both Gavin and Tom were excellent in their delivery and the way they managed the class. The course is well thought out, proceeds at a pace everyone can follow even if you have little or no woodworking skills. Everything you need is provided, and you leave with a functioning longbow of a weight you can draw. You also leave with a set of skills that will mean you could easily make another bow should you wish. Excellent course, excellent value for money, would pay to do it again. "

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you Jon, Im so glad you had a good weekend and the Gavin and Tom delivered! Thank you for taking the time to give us your review and I hope you enjoy your bow. Best wishes Pam"

Alan Cook reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"Attended the course mid July 2022 and had a fantastic time! Arian is a very skilled, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly person and very keen to pass on his knowhow to everyone attending the course. At the end of the weekend I was delighted with my new found skills and I've managed to create a highly useful tool and a 'friend for life' to quote Arian. It's a shame that I'm so far away as I'd love to have access to the excellent workshop facilities at the 'Tuesday club' to continue my new found passion. PS. I could hardly resist the temptation to take Arian's dog Bear home with me."

Angela Clark (for Andrew and Maxx) reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"We booked this course because of the rave reviews. They are ALL true! Feedback from the 16 year old (birthday gift) included enthusiastic statements like "best birthday ever" and "you'll never top this one mum" If you know teenagers, this is POWERFUL and POSITIVE feedback! Feedback from the 53 year who was the plus one and not all that keen included surprised and enthusiastic statements like "excellent course, well taught, knowledgeable teacher" Both have left feeling very confident with the skills learned, and having arrived home now after a 2 hr drive back, I have to mention that they've already ordered sharpening stones and metal!! I can see they'll be practicing more knife making in the near future. THANK YOU for this amazing experience. Mum of the Year goes to ME for booking :) Hooray!"

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Dear Angela, thank you very much for this feedback; I’m delighted that your son had exactly the kind of experience I aim to facilitate. They’ve done so well, and it was a particular pleasure to have father and son working and learning side by side. I hope they’ll continue with Knife-making and Knife -use over time, and please feel free to be in touch if they need any help and advice. And finally, thank you for your booking; I often find that behind a new knife there is a generous person who gifted the course to their loved ones. Thanks Angela."

Mark Kennedy reviewed: Creating automata - weekend course. Explore the combination of movement and materials such as wood, wire, metal tube and sheet, found objects and figures.

"The course was brilliant. Fi lead the course with skill, patience and excellent communication. The objectives were clearly explained and the days flew by. The venue was perfect for creating our automata, with space, and a comprehensive selection of tools and materials, which friendly support from the Subscription Rooms team. We all produced working models and gained knowledge to take with us. I can’t wait for another course."

John reviewed: Creating automata - weekend course. Explore the combination of movement and materials such as wood, wire, metal tube and sheet, found objects and figures.

"What a wonderful course run by Fi Henshall and the brilliant team at Nailsworth Community Workshop. Plenty of opportunity to learn new skills and Fi is so patient, caring and attentive to all. Highly recommended."

Matt Frederick reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"This was a very well thought-out and carefully planned course and yet had a relaxing sense of informality that put everyone at ease. The pacing of the course was spot on, keeping everyone busy, enabling the faster ones to work to a higher level of detail whilst the instructors were quick to pick up on and support those who were falling behind. The level of knowledge imparted was carefully balanced so that you didn't just learn the techniques but also some of the history, reasoning and context behind the craft, without being overwhelmed in information. Gavin was ably assisted by Tom and they are both clearly very experienced, not only with the craft of longbow making but also as teachers. They kept the atmosphere light and welcoming and kept everyone plied with cups of tea. The workshop was well equipped, with plenty of space to work and yet had an eccentric charm that suited the course perfectly. I would strongly recommend this course to anyone, archer or otherwise, who fancies making a beautiful hand-made item that they will treasure for years."

Hannah Porter reviewed: English longbow making weekend in the heart of Nailsworth Gloucestershire

"From the moment we entered the Workshop, we were met with a very warm welcome and made to feel at ease immediately. Gavin and Tom (the instructors) are extremely knowledgeable and skilled at what they do, their subject knowledge is immense. They have a unique way of identifying the needs of the individual and use their expertise to guide participants through this very busy, hands-on course! The end result; an amazing handmade and bespoke Longbow which you get to keep! Also, they make a decent cuppa!"

Christopher Epps reviewed: Knife making weekend Gloucestershire

"I went on this course last weekend and had a wonderful time. Really pleased with the knife and the sheath that I made which I will treasure for ever. Arian is a brilliant teacher who patiently guided us through each step of the process of making our knives. It is a packed weekend, but filled with fun. Thank you Arian and everyone at the Nailsworth Community Workshop."

Nailsworth Community Workshop responded:

"Thank you very much for your feedback Chris. I really enjoyed working with you, and seeing a very individual knife produced to a really good standard, I'm particularly pleased to know that it will be useful to you in your role as outdoor instructor. Keep in touch, it's great to get feedback over time as you get to use your knife. Also, any questions or comments please be free to contact me."