Orchard Barn is a volunteer-run centre for environmental education in rural mid Suffolk providing practical training in traditional timber framing and construction techniques.
Students are taken into the woods to learn to source / hand convert trees into timber and dig clay. Over 5,000 trainees/volunteers have benefitted over the years with hands-on learning on practical projects that keep the East Anglian tradition of building with earth and trees alive (now with increased relevance to challenge of combatting climate change). The volunteer working parties typically last from 9am-3pm.
The Radcliffe Trust has been delighted to support Orchard Barn several times over the years including supporting their volunteer activities including making repairs to the timber frame of a Suffolk Long House using local trees and converting them into a greenwood shingle roof, making and fitting lathe for ceilings and walls and using hot lime plaster.
The latest Radcliffe Trust grant enabled Orchard Barn to pay a local craftsperson to provide training and subsequently supervise volunteers in traditional greenwood working.
The photograph shows a typical working party having a well-earned break in the sunshine.