The Worshipful Company of Turners Bursary Awards 2024 – Applications now open
In 2024 the Turners’ Company are offering Bursaries to help talented turners develop their skills and to move to a higher level of achievement. Applicants need to present a clear plan of how the award will advance their work and raise the profile of the craft. A total of £12,000 is available.
Applications for the next bursary awards are now open. The deadline for applications is Friday 30th August. Rules and application details are set out here: Bursary rules 2024
Bursary Award Winners 2022
Jon BailyAfter being made redundant from his job as a marketing manager in 2021, Jon decided to become a full-time greenwood worker. He has been a member of the Burwash Bodgers group since 2016. He uses handmade tools and a foot-operated pole-lathe to create unique wooden bowls. The wood he uses is sourced from local tree surgeons or from other woodworking projects that would be turned into firewood. Today, he is known for making beautiful wooden bowls and containers that are meant for daily use. Jon was awarded a full bursary for materials and further training with Sharif Adams.
Steve has worked as a self-employed gardener for the last 27 years and for the last 5 years, he has been learning Green Woodworking, becoming the lead facilitator, demonstrating and teaching for the Greenwood Group based at Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses. He also occasionally works for John Waller, and recently ran courses. He has built his own lathe and aspires to teach pole lathe and bowl making, developing courses with a therapeutic element to them, and to sell his own work. Steve has been awarded a full bursary for tuition and materials.
Nathanael is an 18 year old autistic woodturner from Chester. He started turning at school and continued to self teach via YouTube videos. He currently works part-time for Axminster Tools in their shop, and has won numerous prizes for his turning, including Wizardry in Wood 2021, and 1st prize at the British Woodturner of the Year organised by the Guild of Master Craftsmen. Nathanael has been awarded a partial bursary to fund his attendance at the AWGB Seminar in October, plus further training.
Florence HamerFlorence is a Green Woodworker and traditional craftswoman, living at a community woodland project, having built her own ‘tiny house’. She has been pole lathe turning for 4 years, has a degree in renewable energy engineering and has recently completed the Building Arts Programme with the Prince’s Foundation and QEST. Florence has begun teaching and assisting on many courses run by other makers. Florence has been awarded a partial bursary to fund the materials and manufacture of 2 pole lathes and hook tools, as well as tuition and travel.
Ruth Murchie
Ruth is a turner, demonstrator and historical interpreter, using 16th century turning. She first taught herself to turn on a homemade lathe in 2009. In 2017 she started on an electric lathe, and shortly after joined the AWGB. Ruth approached Simon Hope for mentoring in 2022. Ruth hopes to develop skills to the highest level, use multiple techniques and media to create unique pieces, formalise her own teaching and developing her own style. Ruth has been awarded a partial bursary to fund attendance at the AWGB Seminar in October, plus further training.
Nathan Savory
Nathan became a full time turner 18 months ago in Cumbria. He produces pieces for a boutique in Windemere, and would like to take his skill to the next level. He is interested in learning to turn big bowls and hollow forms, to learn new decorative finishing techniques, and create heirloom pens. He would also like to promote woodturning to others, teach and exhibit his work. Nathan is also interested in studying for the WCT diploma in woodturning. Nathan has been awarded a full bursary to fund the diploma, a big bowl course with Angus Clyne, guilding training with Ian Ellison and a pen turning course.
Arturo is currently working out of Cockpit Studios in Deptford having previously won a Turners Cockpit Award. He applied for a bursary to gain training with product designer and architect Umut Yamac to focus on refining design, manufacturing and product creation and taking part in the construction of pieces in his personal workshop. Arturo has a BA in Graphic Design, a Masters in Visual Arts Designer Maker, won many awards, given talks and has published in the Woodturning Press as well as House and Gardens Magazine and the Telegraph. Arturo was awarded a partial bursary to develop his craft by working with Umut Yamak.
Dennis WakeDennis owns Woodturning Hartlepool, and woodturns full time. He is a qualified AWGB tutor and recently joined the RPT. He volunteered at the Help for Heroes recovery centre, Phoenix House, and is a Falklands War Veteran. He has received grants to continue to help others with mental health issues learn woodturning. He would particularly like to learn from Joey Richardson, grow his business and provide more training courses. Dennis has been awarded a full bursary for training, travel and equipment.
Bursary Award Winners 2019
Jonnie CrawfordJonnie is currently a senior designer at a manufacturer of business furniture. He has a passion for manufacturing processes, efficiencies and environmentally responsible design. He was self taught from aged 11, and admires Glenn Lucas who has fused traditional craft with efficient modern production. The Company have awarded Jonnie a bursary for training with Glenn Lucas. His mentor throughout the process is professional turner Simon Hope.
Joe Creed-KaileAt just 19 years of age, inspired by his enthusiasm and drive, Joe is our youngest ever bursary award winner. In 2017 he became the youngest registered AWGB approved tutor at 17 years old. In 2018 he signed a lease on his own workshop and has been giving demonstrations and tutoring. Joe will use his award for further tuition to help develop his style. His mentor throughout the process is Liveryman and professional turner Les Thorne.
Miriam studied 3D design at University and set up her own business in Wales whilst studying for her Masters. Farming and the Welsh language are inspirations for her work, which combines wood with wool and thread etched with Welsh poetry. She is self taught, and has spent one day learning with Les Symonds. The panel loved Miriam’s work and are keen to help support the development of her business, and therefore awarded Miriam a bursary for further tuition. Her mentor will be Court Assistant and professional turner Joey Richardson.
Richard is a self taught wood artist, who is keen to develop his own skills and raise awareness of the medium of wood in a similar way to that of glass and ceramics. He is self employed, overseeing the running of Bole the Gallery in the West of Scotland. He won first prize in the Felix Levy category of the 2018 Turners’ Company turning competitions. Richard will use his bursary award for a gilding course to refine and develop his ability in this field. His mentor will be Court Assistant Christopher Scott.
Adrian left teaching in 2015 to become a full-time pole lathe turner, including teaching and tool making. He has taught in excess of 200 individuals in the last 2 years, built lathes and taught others to forge their own turning hook tools. Bowl turning is on the Radcliffe Red List of endangered crafts, but is currently seeing a healthy resurgence, and Adrian would like to encourage this. He has been focussed on teaching craft and would now like to return to developing his own skills as a turner and craftsman, and in turn, share what he learns through his teaching. He is newly elected Chairman of the APTGW. The Company have awarded Adrian a bursary to undertake the training he applied for and to seek some product photography tuition. His mentor for the award is Liveryman and professional turner Jon Warwicker.
Jason was working as a site carpenter until a life changing accident left him in a wheelchair. He was taught basic woodturning skills at a carpentry course and has been working to develop his own woodturning business. Mostly self-taught, his passion is unique mixed resin and wooden art forms. The panel liked Jason’s experimental resin techniques, and provided an award to help pursue his interest and to help develop his website. His mentor is Liveryman and professional turner Patricia Spero.
Matt UnderwoodMatt has been turning since he was 11 years old and has attended many youth turning events. He is studying product design and technology at Loughborough University and is currently undertaking the ‘year in enterprise’ scheme which supports setting up a business. In 2018 he won the first prize in the Worshipful Company of Turners turning competitions in the AWGB plain turning junior category, and through this also won a commission to produce approximately 90 more of his winning piece for another Livery Company! The panel very much like his work, and keen to support his development, awarded Matt a bursary for training with Mark Hancock and Nick Agar. His mentor is Liveryman and professional turner Les Thorne.
Matthew has been greenwood turning for 20 years, teaching in schools, local fairs and council run events. He would like to reverse the declining contact with physical making in schools today. He set up a charcoal forge to make the specialist tools needed for this type of turning, and helped set up the Northern Bowl festival which brings together teachers from around the country. The panel very much liked Matthew’s work, and his enthusiasm for teaching, and awarded a bursary for Matthew to train in particular with Robin Wood for nesting techniques. Matthew’s mentor is Liveryman and professional turner Katie Abbott.
Bursary Awards Winners 2017
Darren BreezeDarren runs his woodturning business from his home address in Suffolk. He produces a huge range of items catering for all tastes and pockets, from personalised trinkets, artistic and utliltarian items, to architecutral or interior designed pieces. He won first prize in the Company Plain Turning Competition at Wizardry in Wood 2016. The Company have awarded Darren a bursary for training with Les Thorne, and help with marketing and web design for his business.
John was introduced to woodturning as therapy following a serious accident. Having benefited so much from woodturning himself, he would like to help others in rehabilitation centres by teaching woodturning. His ultimate goal is to become professional. The Company will be providing funding for training with Jason Breach and the purchase of some necessary portable turning equipment which John will be able to take to Youth Centres and Rehabilitation Centres.
Danielle FlowersA graduate of Cardiff School of Art and Design, Danielle is in her first year of establishing her own business, specialising in handcrafted, woodturned home decor, using sustainably felled native timber. She has a strong desire to give back to the community and pass on knowledge to the next generations and would like to offer woodturning classes. She was recently selected as Emerging Designer Maker to exhibit at Living Crafts. The Turners bursary will fund training for Danielle at Ecole Escoulen, France, and enable her to have a professionally produced film of her demonstrating the creative process of her work.
Paul JohnstonPaul has been self employed since 2014 and works from a converted garage. He has had items featured in Homes and Gardens, Homes and Antiques magazines, and was featured Artist of the Month in Woodturning Magazine January 2017. Paul has also made commissions for designers in New York and for 2 films, and sells his work around the world from his online shop. Paul would like training to make more artistic and unusual pieces of work, and will use his bursary award for training with Phil Irons in hollowing and colouring.
Frazer ReidFrazer trained as a furniture maker and has a workshop in Fife Scotland. He was winner of the Theo Paphetis Small Business Sundays 2017. Frazer is mostly self taught and would like tuition to incorporate more turning into his furniture. The Company are funding Frazer’s tuition with Stuart Mortimer.
Ghenadi Vasiliev
Ghenadi started turning in 2015. He joined the AWGB and entered the Turners Company Wizardry in Wood Competitions in 2016. The Company are happy to fund Ghenadi’s training with Steve Sinner, a deep hollowing expert in the USA, and the purchase of some necessary turning equipment.
Bursary Award Winners 2015
Sally is a turner of ‘green’ English native wood. Her ambition is to become a full time professional maker and have more work accepted in galleries. A former ceramicist who has produced some really outstanding work that was noted at Loughborough by a major collector, she also has ideas for applying certain guilding techniques to her work. Main award winner.
Emma has proved a good ambassador in North of England and has been chosen to demonstrate at Harrogate. Her turning incorporates setting for crystal and semiprecious stone and her skill in wood carving. The Company will support her travel to the AAW seminar in Atlanta.
Maggie WrightMaggie took up woodturning when she retired from teaching in 2000, and has been Chairman of Wealden Woodturners since 2001. She finds woodturning life enhancing, and enjoys promoting the art through talks. Maggie is a past competition winner who is working at bringing an ornamental lathe back into working order and will make a DVD of the story.
Jean TurnerJean captured the interest of the judges with a plan to have made a special jig that would enable her to perfect the turning of a three-sided form. She has already developed the technique sufficiently to support the idea.
Andy began turning full time in 2012, giving up his job as a plumber and his business has gone from strength to strength. He has developed a range of Chestnut finishing products, and has demonstrated at the Ideal Home Show. Andy will further his knowledge by attending some recommended turning courses. The loan of a lathe to Andy is also being planned.
Andy RounthwaiteAndy started turning after being diagnosed with MS and has spent the last 15yrs teaching, producing and demonstrating. Woodturning has been a lifeline for Andy, and the Company would like to help Andy further his knowledge and techniques by supporting his attendance on some recommended turning courses. The loan of a lathe to Andy is also being planned.
Bursary Award Winners 2013
Kevin Garwood
John Turner
The bursary has enabled the winners to attend training courses, seminars, and some have also purchased or loaned equipment. Michael Hanbury attended a 3 week training course at the Escoulen School of Turning in France as a result of his bursary win. Further information about these winners can be found on page 15 of the Summer 2013 issue of The Turner.
Bursary Award Winners 2011
Bursary Award Winners 2009
Bursary Award Winners 2007
Bursary Award Winners 2005
Bursary Award Winners 2003
Stephen Copstake
Bursary Award Winners 2001
Christopher Barker
Laura Ponting
If you have been inspired to try your hand at woodturning, visit the Register of Professional Turners website where you will find a UK wide list of dedicated turners, teachers and demonstrators.