Helen Welch

Helen Welch - Woodworker

I founded the LSF in 2013, to address the needs of amateur furniture makers and anyone else wanting to learn how to make their own furniture without having to commit to a long course at a college or university.

39 years in the industry have seen me work in construction, furniture making, guitar making, and forestry. If you ask nicely, I’ll reel off a list of qualifications as long as your arm, but all you really need to know is that I am first and foremost a woodworker followed by tool collector hoarder, tinkerer, life-long learner, and avid reader of anything to do with making stuff. Oh, and I guess this is what you want to know, I’ve taught hundreds of adults over the last 29 years how to make furniture and enjoy a valuable skill.

In 2023 I became a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers – the livery company for the furniture making industry. For the last two years, have been a member of the judging panel for the Young Furniture Maker Awards.

Press/Interviews/Stuff

Lost Art Press– the late great Nancy Hiller and I discuss my background and life in woodwork
Makers Cabinet– I get to do a show and tell with my favourite tools
Tern Heads – Starting a career in furniture making
This Girl Makes– Hattie Speed and I talk about women in woodworking
Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker – Judge alongside Alex de Rijke on series 1 of Channel 4’s woodworking competition show
The Times – I chat with journalist Harry Wallop while trying to teach him a few woodworking basics
Domestika – Catch me in action teaching dovetail joints and box-making
Words on Wood Podcast – John Makepeace and I talk about how we came to set up our respective furniture schools

Sam Brown

Sam Brown - Furniture Maker

In a former life, Sam was a professional photographer but retrained as a furniture maker some 25 years ago. When he’s not teaching for us, he is busy working on his Japanese joinery skills.