Willow sculpture workshop

Join us for a willow sculpture workshop, where we will spend the day creating decorative willow creatures inspired by the animals found around Acton Scott Heritage Farm.

This is a fun project for new learners and those with previous willow weaving experience.

This beginner friendly workshop runs from 10:00-16:30 on Saturday 18 July 2026.

Join us for a day on the Farm over looking the Shropshire Hills, where we will spend the day working with willow in a mindful and supportive learning environment.

With a maximum group size of eight, this hands on experience will include:

• Learn how to make a decorative willow sculpture
• The fundamentals of willow weaving
• Instruction on willow preparation
• Learn about tool safety
• Advice on how to make a variety of willow sculptures

By the end of the workshop, you will have completed your own handmade bird or animal from sustainably sourced willow. 

• Dates: Saturday 18 July
• Schedule: 10:00 - 16:30
• Price: £125 per person

During the day, you will have the opportunity to look around Acton Scott Heritage Farm, as well as our onsite Farm Cafe. 

• Tea and coffee provided
• Bring a packed lunch or order food from the Acton Scott Farm Cafe
• Feel free to bring reference photos or sketches to work from
• Please note that hand strength is required to work with willow
• Note: When choosing what size to make your plant support, please consider how you will take it home!
• Please bring: Secateurs, pen knife (Opinel no.8 is ideal), a plant spray bottle and old bath towel to keep the willow damp, 
• You may find a padded kneeler useful for working on the floor
• The cost of all materials is included in your workshop
• Wear comfortable clothing suitable for a workshop using natural materials, an apron or overalls are ideal!
• The tutor will provide basketry tools, but please bring any of your own if you own them
• Workshops are held indoors in our Black barn
• The content of the day may vary slightly to suit circumstances
• If you have any questions about the workshop, please message the Team using the Contact Us form.

Teacher Bio: Carol de la Pole

Carol is a craftsperson, primarily working with home grown willow, fleece from her flock of rare breed sheep and including other found natural materials. Her creative inspiration is rooted in the rural landscape, with its seasonal elements, surrounding her studio in rural Herefordshire. 

As a practitioner of slow craft skills, beyond making desirable objects, she is also invested in the contextual research behind these living heritage skills, that connect people with their ancestral past. Her woven textiles and basketry designs, respect traditions reaching back through the centuries, yet they highlight sustainability and cultural importance in a modern context. 

Carol has trained as a basketmaker for over 28 years, alongside many renowned British and international Basketmakers. As a tutor she has worked closely with educational establishments, museums and conservation charities, leading basketry workshops for all ages and abilities.

• 1987 - BA Hons 3-D Design: Furniture - Leicester Polytechnic (De Montfort University)
• 1998 - Present day: Member of The Basketmakers Association
• 2022 - City & Guilds Level 2 Basketry Course - Westhope College, Shropshire