How to turn a tree into a beautiful bench! A photo-essay.

Michael is cutting the fork which will become the ends of the bench. Sawing the fork in half, creating masses of sawdust!.

Now the fork is in two halves.

Demonstrating the skill, and the knowledge - Michael is sawing out the seat, and back boards of the bench.

This is such heavy work - winching one bench end onto the trailer, then the other. Then loading the seat board on as well. Below is Michael working on the trailer, at his home. He is removing the bark and sapwood from the bench ends.

There are a lot of thanks to be made - mostly to the amazing residents of Rothbury and Coquetdale, who supported the Save Rothbury Hospital Campaign, indeed, who WERE the campaign, for over 6 years.

But immense thanks are due to Michael Boxall, for his sensitive skill in the construction of this magnificent bench. He is currently also working on a picnic bench to accompany this. Thank you to everyone who donated.

The following photographs document the painstaking skill of making this incredible bench.

Michael marking the position of mortise in the bench end. (Mortise = a hole or recess cut into a part which is designed to receive a corresponding projection (a tenon) on another part so as to join or lock the parts together). In the second photo, Michael is augering a mortise. (An 'auger' is a tool used for making large holes in wood or the ground).

Completing the augered mortise. Then the scary part! checking that the seat fits into the base properly. (It does!).

Katie and Michael, after the installation at Rothbury Community Hospital, and Rothbury Cottage Care.
The staff, residents, and patients will benefit from this fabulous bench and table, for many years to come.

Anne Brown, Cathy Jacob, and Christine Cole.
Anne and Chris both became widows during the Campaign. Their husbands, David and Maurice, were crucial members of the Campaign team. We all owe a debt of gratitude to them.

Cathy is part of the Coquetdale League of Friends. The extra money we raised for the bench and table, went to this fine organisation, which helps patients and staff of the hospital.