Initially spending occasional weekends in the wood, Sue developed an affinity for the land and all that it contained. After a process to clear rhododendrons, by hand, from probably 90% of the 6.5 acre site her intimate knowledge of the wood has evolved. It was during this process she came to know neighbouring owner Martin Keelor, and was inspired by his skills in working with wood in all its shapes and forms.
In parallel to all this, and actually for far longer, Sue has been a creative and accomplished quiltmaker. Her designs were originally limited to gifts for friends and family, with the occasional special request. Now, she uses her spare time to design and create individual pieces for sale “off the peg”. For the more patient customer there is always the option of having a quilt made as a special commission.
After testing the market it became clear that there was demand from discerning buyers. People recognised the value of hand-made and well-crafted wooden items, and quilts of various designs and sizes, with each item individually made to form a unique product. This has encouraged Sue and Martin to set up Lady Oak Wood Enterprises.
In common with many folk who mix a hobby with a way to gain a modest income, Sue tends to work more for her own pleasure than the financial reward. This ethos means that everything sold through Lady Oak Wood Projects is more a labour of love than anything that will ever come off a production line. Sue wouldn’t want it to be any other way.
Martin has had a lifelong passion for being in the outdoors. This has taken him all over the world where he has lived among many diverse peoples, from Australian Aborigines to Nepali Gurkhas and the Vietnamese hill people. It is no surprise, therefore, that after experiencing the way in which such people live, and the variety of skills they have at their disposal, he developed an interest in natural materials and all things artisan.
When Martin returned to England, from the mid 1990s he took to training in countryside management and greenwood crafts. It is now the Kent countryside that has become his adopted home, and in 2003 he came to the woods around Lady Oak, where he has been honing his carving and woodland skills ever since.
Martin is generally kept busy with general maintenance tasks including bouts of coppicing, dead hedging and rhododendron clearance in his wood adjacent to Lady Oak. Most days he can be found whittling a spoon or bowl in the woods, sometimes while he sits and watches for the tell-tale signs that a charcoal burn is finishing.
Along with Sue, Martin is always glad to make the fruits of his labour available to a wider audience. He brings his experience to bear in each and every one of the spoons, bowls and other objects that he creates. Through Lady Oak Wood Enterprises, Martin offers a chance for people to continue a centuries-old tradition of putting natural materials to good use around the home.
