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About Us
Derwent Woodturning Club has a membership of between 20 and 30.
Our objective is to promote the woodturning craft. We do this primarily through our twice monthly meetings.
Anybody interested in finding out more about the craft and having a taster is encouraged to come along to one of our meetings. If you do pay us a visit please make your self known to one of the committee.
See further down this page for details of the committee.
Membership and Charges
The club is open to new and old woodturners alike, and to those who may be just considering taking up this craft.
Annual membership is £50. New members are welcome at any time.
There is a charge of £5 for each meeting attended payable on entry.
The club is an Associate Member of the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain (AWGB) and individual members may become full members if they wish.
Meetings
Derwent Woodturners meetings are held at Sharpes Pottery museum, 23 West Street, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 9DG. Details of how to find us can be found by clicking here.
Meetings start at 18:30, but the venue is open from 18:00 to deal with registration etc. and finish around 21:00.
For full details of meetings please click here.
Free tea/coffee and biscuits are available part way through the meeting.
Members currently travel to club meetings from far flung parts of South Derbyshire, Staffordshire and the Midlands so those members wishing to reduce costs through car sharing may find other members in their locality.
Demonstration night wih Richard Findley
Woodturning Blanks
Woodturning blanks are usually to be found for sale (courtesy of David Winter) at meetings when there is no guest demonstrator.
Club Committee
Derwent Woodturning Club is run by a committee elected annually at the AGM. The committee currently comprises three people. To contact any committee member please use the contact form.
David Booth
David Booth - Chairman
Retiring in 2016 from a busy working life in Transport, Workshops and Logistics, I found myself with some spare time, although my Austin 7 takes up a fair amount of time keeping it road worthy and enjoying time with other Austineers. Volunteering for a few roles I found one of these roles being on the committee for the Derwent Woodturning Club and now as Chairman. I joined in 2018 for some inspiration and to meet other members, I have found being a member of this club has been very rewarding. I have been involved with wood as a hobby for many years. After many visits to Wood Supplies in Millers Dale, I bought my first lathe in 2001, a Draper WTL95. I updated to a new Axminster AC355WL in 2021, also keeping my original Draper. Being part of the club has proven to be most enjoyable, meeting other like minded turners and sharing information and ideas, also meeting and learning from Professional Demonstrators.
Nick White
Nick White - Secretary and Treasurer
Nick joined Derwent Woodturning Club in 2022, became a committee member in 2023, and at the 2024 AGM was elected as Treasurer, and is also carrying out many of the Secretary's roles.
Nick’s working life, was in pig breeding and production, initially managing a number of farms and then in 1991 became self-employed as an independent consultant providing advisory visits, data analysis, staff training, building design, etc., throughout the UK and some occasional overseas work.
Wood working and DIY has been a hobby from an early age, initially learnt from his father, and he has progressively developed a well-equipped wood workshop. A small second-hand lathe was added after attending a day of training with a professional wood turner, and realising that this was a subject that he would like to add to his portfolio. Progress was slow initially, mainly due to lack of available time, but the interest in turning has continued to grow and joining the club and mixing with other turners and watching professional demonstrators has been part of that development.
Alan Smith
Alan is a long-standing member of the club, and was chairman for over 20 years, before stepping down in 2023.
He regularly provides demonstrations on club nights and is currently responsible for arranging those nights and the monthly challenge.
Merchandise
The club has an arrangement for the supply of polo shirts and sweat shirts. Follow this link to get to the order form.
Members wishing to place an order should print off and complete a copy of the order form. This should be returned to the Treasurer.
Orders will only be placed with the supplier periodically so there will be a delay on delivery.
Payment will only be required when the club has received the order from the supplier.
Any queries to Nick White or via the contact form.
