WOOD from a 200 year-old fallen oak tree from Brampford Speke was used in a community project to provide two benches for the Crediton Library Community Garden, which was officially opened on Wednesday, January 19.

The idea came from discussions, several years ago, between Library Supervisor Sue Lee and James Bond and Nik Pitcher, Director of Carving Community CIC.

The project, which ran for 12 weekly sessions on Crediton Town Square, was facilitated by Carving Community CIC in collaboration with young people and adults from the local community.

Sue Lee said: “I would like to thank all the members of the community that have contributed months of work sculpting pieces from a fallen oak tree using hand tools.

“It is lovely to see the pieces come together to create two bespoke benches for the public to enjoy in the Crediton Library Community Garden.

“Many thanks to Mid Devon District Council Love your Town Centre Capital Investment Fund, Crediton Town Council, Evolve, Arts Council England, Exeter City Council and The Friends of Crediton Library for funding this project.”

Nik explained: “The Oak arrived in the square at the beginning of October, met by folk who had seen the posters around town thanks to library volunteers.

“The process of getting to know one another and the wood began, by cleaving the wood using iron wedges, beetles and gluts, followed by using axes, adze, scorps and spokeshaves to carve, smooth and shape the bench into being.

“Sessions were punctuated by shared meals and wonderful conversations between those inside and outside the safety fences each week.

“One kind man brought his own axe, wedge and giant energy to help split the wood.

“An 89-year-old wheelwright stopped by to share tales, along with a boat builder, a seamstress, then a thatcher thrilled to see young people on the tools.

“Another man joined to carve, taking away the Oak chips to grow mushrooms on.

“On completion of the carving, inspiration was drawn from images of Anglo Saxon coins, which would have been in use at the time of St Boniface’s birth.

“Each member imagined a personal coin, with which to make a mark on their individual book ends and jointly create a new ‘community currency’.

“It is hoped that this acts as a visual reminder of the shared experiences, provokes conversation and makes the bench a very large ‘touchwood,’ a place to meet and bring community members together.

“On the benches around the square folk knitted, stopped for a pint, a birthday celebration and chased flying oak chips with their dogs.

“What a wonderful meeting place the town square is for Crediton!”

Nik added: “The Carving Community and members of the local community involved in the making of a sculpted oak bench, reunited on the evening of Sunday, January 15, to uncover not one, but two benches in the square after their winter sleep and processed them with lanterns and drums down to Crediton Library.

“The benches have now been gifted to the whole community to enjoy and homed in the Library’s new Community Garden, looking out over Newcombes Meadow.”

One of the young people who took part in the project, Hope Atkinson (12) said: “I saw a poster about the making of the bench in the window at the library so I turned up at the Town Square to join in.

“We started with a rough chunk of oak and we used an axe to take off the rough bits.

“I had two bits and liked making patterns by banging in a nail to make a design like an old coin.”

Another young person, Issac Olsson (14) said: “It’s been an experience!

“I’ve done something similar before, but not quite the same.

“I liked the community side of getting to know people.”

Local resident, Paul Cleave explained: “It’s been a great community project, bringing people together and getting to know people we didn’t know before. It’s been inspirational!”

A visual book charting the journey of the bench-making and hands that made it will soon be available to see in the library.