Wyldwoods: Anne-Marie Lagram
February 2009
Wyldwoods is a place that feels miles and miles from anywhere and yet is only five-ten minutes from bustling country market towns of Much Wenlock and Broseley.
Travelling down the track to access it never ceases to make me smile as I negotiate my way through sheep and pheasants, and on occasion glancing the shadowy form of a deer, slipping into the surrounding woodland.
Nine months ago I had the pleasure of encountering (by replying to an Ad for a rural arts and crafts tutor) Steph, a lady with a vision, a wonderful piece of Shropshire countryside, a Yurt (Mongolian tent), hens and guinea pigs and very little else. She needed someone who could help her show to others the benefits of spending time in such a lovely place, and hopefully enabling them to pick up one or two bits of useful information along the way. So that’s how I became part of the Wyldwood’s family. Steph had already established a small group of young children from Bridgnorth, whom she did activities with and knew from their reaction that there was a lot of potential in the site and that she therefore needed to expand what Wyldwoods could offer.
Since those beginnings Wyldwoods has developed incredibly in such a short space of time. Physically, the stables, which were open, floorless, draughty shelters, have become fantastic workshop spaces, enclosed from the elements by large glass frontages and stable doors. We have a series of raised beds; established garden areas; a young orchard and an open workshop where our semi-resident Blacksmith, Richard Eaton is sited. We also have established firm links with Elspeth Soper - a well known local ceramicist whose pottery is sited at the track entrance to Wyldwoods.
But even more than the physical changes, we have begun to realise Steph’s vision of being a place that can be accessed by everyone. We have people attending recreational courses, schools and colleges using the site as an educational facility where they can learn about a wide range of rural arts and crafts, horticulture, conservation and environmental aspects, and the site is being accessed as a place just to have fun, enjoy the space and share in the tranquillity and natural beauty of this oasis for nature and people alike.
To be a part of Wyldwoods, the main criteria is to care about the preservation of such places and what can be given back to people who spend time there. That means maintaining and developing this site so that we can create a space in which traditions (many local) can be maintained and passed on to others, rather than be forgotten. A place where traditional produce growing practices can be seen and used by people back in their own gardens; where we take time to notice the seasons, the weather, the natural environment and we employ sympathetic conservational practices to assist in it’s preservation.
With a newly developed five year plan which includes; developing a sensory trail; siting a woodland play area; historical garden sites; facilities to make preserves, bread and brewing; heritage and conservation talks; areas for local artists and craftspeople to work and exhibit their work and the development of produce boxes for sale to the local community, together with plants and seeds - all means that hopefully anyone who visits us will take away a little part of our ethos and practices with them.
Our site has become an alternative to the formal constraints of education and is a place where, just by taking part in activities, people can be taught something that they may not have known previously. We can give interest and skills to assist in personal and professional development. And all this is in a relaxed atmosphere where everyone’s contribution is truly of value.
The running of Wyldwoods is still steered by the relentlessly hard working Steph, and through the assistance of tutors, volunteers, assistants, our students, visitors and supporters we are all ensuring that Wyldwoods is able to continue with it's future plans.
Finally, as Wyldwoods enters the important stage of seeking charitable status, we hope that it will allow an even greater amount of people to find out about us and hopefully pay us a visit.