Gordon Hillman
It is with deep regret that Woodlore must pass on this sad news:
There is truly only one certainty in any human being’s life, one day our time on the earth will end. Sadly, that moment came for Professor Gordon Hillman on Saturday, when after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease he passes quietly from this world.
We at Woodlore are delighted to now be supporting Children with Cancer UK as our chosen charity to help with their excellent work fighting the UK’s biggest child killer. 
Children with Cancer was set up in 1987, following Eddie and Marion O’Gorman’s devastating loss of not one, but two children, Paul and Jean within the same year to cancer. Shortly after Jean passed away, Eddie and Marion met Diana, Princess of Wales. She was deeply moved by the double tragedy and she personally helped to establish this charity. Children with Cancer aim to improve survival rates and quality of survival in young cancer patients and to find and reduce the causes of cancer by funding research, raising awareness, and helping families as part of their work.
We are very much looking forward to working with the team at our chosen charity as a corporate partner well into the future and hope that we are able to make a small difference to some of the children’s lives who are battling with childhood cancer.
I have been using Gransfors axes for many years now and there’s no doubting the quality of what you get. Hand forged in Sweden by blacksmiths of great experience they are tools to use, cherish and pass on. What comes out of the box however, may be a little different from the nurtured and well-worn implements that you will see put to work by our instructors.
From time to time people comment that the helve on the axe that they have just bought doesn’t display the patina that they may have seen on other axes and this is true. Gransfors make strong working tools that are good to put to their intended task from day one but it takes time for your axe to pick up the distinctive marks and wear that make it your own.
Gransfors axe handles before and after treatment
We are proud to be supporting Woodlore Senior Assistant Callum Hilder by stocking his exciting invention, the Elementree Kindler. Callum has designed and built an efficient and safe way of turning the standard sized logs you would find at your local petrol station or have delivered by your firewood merchant, into kindling for your wood-burning stove, firepit, pizza oven or small fireplace. Here is a little insight from Callum as to why he decided to develop this product and about his journey so far:
Elementree Kindler
The Woodlore team got the opportunity to hone some essential skills earlier this week as part of the field staff’s annual training. At the top of the list was a renewal of our essential 1st aid skills which will ensure that we are prepared for anything that the season can throw at us and more importantly, be better informed and able to prevent situations reaching the point where intervention is required.
First aid training
Our outdoor team spend much of the course season out in the woods where they rely on their clothing and equipment through all weather conditions. Every now again the team express a real passion for a particular product and recently Fundamental Instructor Keith Whitehead has been very impressed with his Littlbug Junior Camping Stove. Here is a review he has put together for us:
Littlbug Junior Stove and accessories
The following post was written by Woodlore’s Leather Worker, Becky Brewster:
Octopus Stinkhorn
I thought I would share an unusual find – these were in a field in Horam, East Sussex. The first one was about 2 meters from the edge of the field and had the appearance of a starfish just dropped on the grass. Closer inspection revealed it was growing from the ground and so we looked further and found these ‘beauties’ at the very edge. I have never seen these before so took some photos to help with identification. My outdoor team colleagues tell me they are the Octopus Stinkhorn fungi and quite rare.
It has never been so busy in the Woodlore Leather Workshop. Becky, our resident leather worker has been beavering away recently making numerous products, including sheaths for the new Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife and the new Ray Mears Leather Strops. Becky has also been engrossed in building up stocks of our very popular products in readiness for the upcoming Christmas rush. During this busy time Becky thought that it would be nice to give you a little insight into the ‘goings on’ in our leather workshop:
I love to see a batch of finished work but Keith has worked some camera magic here – the lighting has really brought out the lovely variety of colours and natural markings in the leather.
Leather knife sheaths and leather belts
Last weekend saw the Woodlore outdoor team gather together for their annual staff training. This year, the team took an in-depth view of some of the essential professional skills required to run successful courses safely in any environment. We were joined by Jamie Cooke, a world leader in resuscitation practice and Specialist Instructor on our First Aid courses, who gave the team their regular top-up of knowledge and training. Ray led the team in looking at the complications and hazards of leading overseas expeditions and how we can use our experiences to improve and inform our teaching on Woodlore’s exceptional range of UK training courses.
Team Training 2017
Between times, the team had the opportunity to come together and enjoy the warmth of the Woodlore camp fire, sharing food and stories of what has happened since the last season together. On the final day, Ray once again led the team and demonstrated a rich diversity of skills which will be embedded into our courses over the coming year. Woodlore is constantly moving forward in terms of equipment, knowledge and technique so these times spent together in the woods are essential. It means that our clients in the coming year will have a learning experience that is current, relevant and absolutely second to none.
Stephen Wade Cox
It is with deep regret that Woodlore must pass on this sad and tragic news:
“Yesterday morning I received the news that Stephen Wade Cox had passed away. I speak for all the team when I say that we were profoundly upset by such an unexpected tragedy. Over the past eight years we had come to recognise his astonishing and ever growing talent as a knife maker. A perfectionist and thorough professional, he was a joy to work with. Throughout this year I had worked very closely with him in the development of the Woodlore Knife Pro. This provided me the opportunity to know him better. There was much to admire in Stephen, he was calm, cheerful, thoughtful and a reliable man who loved his children. As a professional he was incredibly skilful but also humble, always at pains to honour the craftsmanship of the other knife makers who had inspired him. In his passing, Great Britain has lost one of the Worlds most talented knife makers.
Stephen will be a sorely missed member of the Woodlore Team. He last visited us just a few days ago when he had been looking forward to a holiday, full of joy and happiness. This is how I shall always remember him; smiling, happy and certain in the knowledge that his talents were fully appreciated.” – Ray Mears
Our thoughts and condolences are with his family at this heartrending time.
The Ray Mears & Woodlore Bushcraft Blog 