Park's old trees are given new life at Leamington wood

Old trees are being transformed into creatively carved benches for the community to use at Foundry Wood in Leamington.
Wood carver Graham Jones carving new benches for Foundry Wood in Leamington. Picture by Laura Hood.Wood carver Graham Jones carving new benches for Foundry Wood in Leamington. Picture by Laura Hood.
Wood carver Graham Jones carving new benches for Foundry Wood in Leamington. Picture by Laura Hood.

Crowds enjoyed the sunshine on Sunday and gathered to watch Birmingham-based chainsaw carver Graham Jones work on trees from Jephson Gardens in Leamington which had come down.

Graham selected a number of designs that visitors to the community woodland came up with at a family fun afternoon earlier in the month to carve on the new benches.

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Foundry Wood project manager Kath Pasteur said: “We had some really creative suggestions of what to carve into the benches – from bugs and mini-beasts, to sea creatures and hands.”

Wood carver Graham Jones carving new benches for Foundry Wood in Leamington.Wood carver Graham Jones carving new benches for Foundry Wood in Leamington.
Wood carver Graham Jones carving new benches for Foundry Wood in Leamington.

Many readers will know Graham’s work as he was the artist behind the various tree carvings around Jephson Gardens, as well as another in front of the Spa Centre.

The benches will stand in the wood’s new insect habitat area.

Graham’s work was funded by a grant from the SITA Trust for a natural play area, which will also be built in the woodland this summer.

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The chainsaw carving coincided with one of the Friends of Foundry Wood’s regular pizza-making sessions using a homemade outdoor clay oven. Sessions take place on the third Sunday of each month between 12pm and 2pm (£4 per pizza, ingredients provided).

Graham will complete the carvings over the next few weeks. To see more of his work, visit gmjwoodcarving.co.uk

To find out more about Foundry Wood and upcoming events, visit www.foundrywood.co.uk

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