Welcome To Spoontown
The Largest Gathering Of Spoon Carvers Located In The Garden Of EnglandThursday 28th – Sunday 31st July 2022
Sittingbourne – Kent (UK)
Your Journey Begins Here
Let the stresses of the world disappear for a long Summer weekend of Camping, Carving, and Learning at the very first Spoontown 2022
A project that full-time spoon carver and teacher Jill Swan has been dreaming about for years
Who’s ambition it was to organise an event in her home county of Kent
That embodies the joyfulness and positivity that spoon carving can bring
Inspired by the amazing Spoonfest held in Derbyshire by crafts pioneers Robin Wood and Barn The Spoon
Spoontown is an outdoor environment where spoon carvers of all skill levels can come together and share their passion for this wonderful craft
Camping In beautiful Kent countryside in the South East of England
Spoontown will have all you need to cut away from the world for 4 days and 3 nights in absolute woody bliss
Enjoy all things related to spoon carving and greenwood crafts
Such as:
– Knife work
– Axe techniques
– Different methods of decoration
– Leatherwork
– Pole lathe bowl turning
– And much, much more
Whether you’re a complete beginner, intermediate, or seasoned professional
Spoontown will have something for you to explore
Limited to 150 places
This exclusive outdoor event will be for ticket holders only
What Does Your Spoontown Ticket Include ?
– Camping on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights (3 nights total)
– Parking for the entire duration of the event
– Dedicated area for pitching tents
– Area for campervans
– Purpose built toilet block + Washing facilities
– Water supply
– Main Carving and Congregational Area
– Large selection of sustainably sourced fresh wood for carving
– Access to carving stumps
– Communal marquee and barn
– Free demonstrations on the Friday and Saturday
– Central firepit
– Kettle constantly on the boil
– Free tea and coffee!
– Evening entertainment (largely of your own making) on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights
– Spoon Clinic
– Sams Sharpening Station
– Pathcarvers: A space for your mental health to carve, drink tea, and talk or just be
– Sunday Craft Market
– The Spoontown Games
– Bonfire of the vanities
And last but not least … 149 other spoon carving enthusiasts!
Experience Live Demonstrations From Leading Spoon Carvers
We have an array of skilled spoon carvers who will be offering free demonstrations during the event
Covering topics such as:
– Axing out a spoon blank
– Chip carving
– Carving finials
– Knife sharpening
– And much, much more
(A detailed itinerary with times and days will be published closer to the event)
(The above spoons are hand carved by Deborah Schneebeli Morrell who will be running a workshop at the event)
A Unique Opportunity For ‘YOU’ To Demonstrate What You Can Do
If you have a particular skill set that you would like to showcase to others at Spoontown
Now is your chance!
Once you have purchased your ticket, you will have the opportunity to submit a demonstration request via a form we will provide you
Upon approval, you will be added to the list of guest demonstrators and be asked to provide a copy of your public liability insurance (If you don’t have this, we can point you in the right direction to get it)
We feel it is important that we give others in the spoon carving community the chance to introduce themselves to their peers
Introducing ‘The Spoon Clinic’
Do you have a question you’ve been burning to ask a seasoned spoon carver?
Ever wondered where people get their wood from?
Do you struggle to get a smoother finish?
Where is a recommended source of tools in the UK?
To answer questions like this
You need the Spoon Clinic!
Our resident Spoon Doctors will be running open sessions where you can ask any question you’d like relating to Spoon Carving
Confirmed Spoon Doctors so far include:
Deborah Schneebeli Morrell
Lee Stoffer
Jill Swan
(More To Follow)
Sams Sharpening Station
What would a Spoon carving event be without sharpening!
Let us introduce you to Sam Bentham
Sam runs a full-time tool sharpening business from his mobile workshop in and around the county of Kent
Coming from a strong background in Engineering
As well as being an avid Spooon carver himself
Sam will be in his element running the official Spoontown sharpening station
Timetable Of Events
Thursday 28th July 2022
Gates Open 3pm – 8pm
Park Your Car On Arrival
Registration – Collect Your Wristband
Pitch up – Tent or Campervan
Silver Spoon – Food Van (5pm)
Spoon Saloon – Bar (5pm)
Workshop Bookings (5pm – 7pm)
Induction (7pm – 7.30pm)
Campfire (7.30pm – Late)
Friday 29th July 2022
On Site Cafe = 8am – 4pm
Morning Workshop Session = 9am – 12pm
Lunchtime = 12pm – 2pm
Demonstrations = 12pm – 2pm
Afternoon Workshop Session = 2pm – 5pm
Spoon Clinic = 5pm – 7pm
Spoon Saloon (Bar) = 5pm – 10pm
Silver Spoon (Food Van) = 5pm – 9pm
Tools down + Campfire + Music = 7pm – Late
(The above tools belong to Ellie of ‘Wood Wool Willow’ who will be attending the event)
Saturday 30th July 2022
On Site Cafe = 8am – 4pm
Morning Workshop Session = 9am – 12pm
Lunchtime = 12pm – 2pm
Demonstrations = 12pm – 2pm
Afternoon Workshop Session = 2pm – 5pm
Group Photo – 5pm – 5.30pm
Spoon Clinic = 5.30pm – 7pm
Spoon Saloon (Bar) = 5.30pm – 10pm
Pizzalilly (Pizza Van) = 5.30pm – 9pm
Tools down + Bonfire of the vanities + Music = 7pm – Late
Sunday 31st July 2022
Chill and Carve
Breakfast Bar = 8am – 9am
Packed up and tent camping area cleared up by 10am
Set up stall for selling in the Craft Market by 10am
Closing Speech = 10am – 10.30am
Craft Market = 10.30am – 2pm
Spoontown Games 12pm – 1pm = Woody Olympics, Hammer Game, etc
Take remaining wood + Clear wood pile = 1pm – 2pm
Finish + Leave site = 3pm
Site Shuts Down = 4pm
Spoon University
Workshop Sessions
Alongside the plethora of activities we have going on
We have over a dozen trainers available for half-day and / or full-day Workshop Sessions on the Friday and Saturday
We have been working behind the scenes to gather some of the best spoon carvers and crafty folk to offer these exclusive classes
Only confirmed ticket holders will have the opportunity to book on to these sessions
Prices start at £30 for a half-day session
Bookings will take place in person on the Thursday 28th July
Spaces are limited
Introducing our Lecturers:
Aimee Bell
Aimee is a co-owner of a leatherworking business, with a passion for the outdoors and natural crafts
She will be teaching the following Workshops:
– How To Make A Leather Spoon Holster / Sheath
– How To Make A Spoon Bandolier i.e. Wearable Spoon Rack
Mikey Elefant
Mikey lives in a small kibbutz, running a Centre for Woodland Crafts, guiding, teaching and spreading the word of spoon carving
He will be teaching the following Workshop:
– How To Carve An Asymmetrical Spoon
Sean Tillett
Sean is a spoon carver and outdoors instructor with over a decade of experience, carving for mental health, and creativity
He will be teaching the following Workshops:
– Basic Bushcraft / Multifunctional Spoon
– Bushcraft Campcraft & Woodcraft
– Speedy Spoon Horn
Amy Leake
Amy is a Bowl Turner and Green Woodworker with over 12 years of experience in Woodsculture
She will be teaching the following Workshop:
– Pole Lathe Bowl Turning For Beginners
Lee Stoffer
Lee is a Green woodworker, Spoon carver, Toolmaker and is probably best known for the Spoon Scorp
He will be teaching the following Workshops:
– Complete Beginners Guide To Chip Carving
– Putting A Wooden Handle On A Knife Blade
Deborah Schneebeli Morrell
Deborah is an experienced writer of craft books, a maker of many things and has spearheaded the “Spoons are good for you” project
She will be teaching the following Workshops:
– How To Make A Pocket Spoon Blank
– How To Make A Pocket Spoon
Mark Saich
Mark has been living in and managing his own woodland for many years. Teaching and training Eco-Construction, Woodland management and Spoon Carving amongst many other things
He will be teaching the following Workshops:
– Back To Basics Of Spoon Carving
– Batch Carving Spoons
– Log To Spoon
Martin Hazell
Martin is an odd job imp, green woodworker and collector of odd titles
He will be teaching the following Workshop:
– How To Carve A Scoop From A Crook
Nadine Grundy
Nadine is a woodland alchemist, combining fine art with beautiful things, finding fascination with the natural world and passing that joy on
She will be teaching the following Workshops:
– Improvers Axe Work & Axing Out An Eating Spoon
– Axing Out A Cooking Spoon Blank
– Woven Bark Sheath
– Decoration On Treen i.e. Chip Carving, Kolrosing And Milk Paint
Paul Bradley
Paul is a skilled craftsman working in both Leather and Wood, creating beautiful and functional items
He will be teaching the following Workshops:
– How To Make A Straight Knife Leather Sheath
– How To Make A Hook / Spoon Knife Leather Sheath
– How To Make A Leather Axe Sheath
– How To Make A Spoon Carving Bib
Richard ‘Tricky’ Dunn
Richard fell into green woodworking by happy accident and didn’t want to find a way out
He will be teaching the following Workshops:
– How To Carve A Spatula
– How To Carve Facets
Martin Rutherford
Martin is a Woodsman, Arborist, Group leader for men in sheds and host of the Whitstable spoon carving club
He will be teaching the following Workshops:
– Beginners Spoon Blank And Axe Work
– Beginners Knife Work i.e. Learning 3 to 5 Basic Knife Cuts
Where Is The Location ?
SPOONTOWN 2022 will be held at the ‘Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway’ venue
Situated close to Sittingbourne, in the High Weald of Kent, South East England
The ‘Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway’ is a family run hobby train line
Which has been built by a group of friends since the early 1970s
Operated to a high standard, with a station, engine sheds and workshops
Spoontown will be conveniently situated in an exclusive wooded area and surrounding fields
Closed to the general public
(Detailed instructions on how to get to the venue will be issued to ticket holders)
Purchase Your Spoontown Ticket
Spoontown 2022 will be limited to 150 tickets
Each ticket will cost £105
And a reminder of exactly what is included in your ticket purchase:
– Camping on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights (3 nights total)
– Parking for the entire duration of the event
– Dedicated area for pitching tents
– Area for campervans
– Purpose built toilet block + Washing facilities
– Water supply
– Main Carving and Congregational Area
– Large selection of sustainably sourced fresh wood for carving
– Access to carving stumps
– Communal marquee and barn
– Free demonstrations on the Friday and Saturday
– Central firepit
– Kettle constantly on the boil
– Free tea and coffee!
– Evening entertainment (largely of your own making) on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights
– Spoon Clinic
– Sams Sharpening Station
– Pathcarvers: A space for your mental health to carve, drink tea, and talk or just be
– Sunday Craft Market
– The Spoontown Games
– Bonfire of the vanities
– And last but not least … 149 other spoon carving enthusiasts!
All ticket purchases will be processed via the ‘Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway’ (BWLR) website
As they are our Spoontown partners
They have set up a dedicated page for Spoontown 2022
Which you can access by clicking the yellow button below
On that page, there will be a step by step breakdown of exactly how to buy your ticket
Once you have completed your ticket purchase with BWLR
You will receive the following two emails
- An invoice from PayPal as proof of purchase
- An email from BWLR that contains a link for you to download your ticket in the form of a PDF
Please keep both of those emails, as well as the PDF, saved for future reference
You will need a copy of the PDF, either on your phone or printed out, when registering at the event
Also, after you have completed your ticket purchase
Please go to the confirmation page by clicking the blue button below to access all of the details you will need to attend Spoontown 2022
That confirmation page will contain everything you need
Such as:
– Address of venue
– List of transport links
– Recommended kit list
– Workshop details
– Facebook group
– Etc
If you have any questions or queries regarding your ticket purchase
Please contact Jill using this email address – jill@jillswan.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I haven’t carved a spoon before?
There will be free demonstrations covering various aspects of spoon carving
Alternatively, you can book yourself on to dedicated Workshop Sessions that will cover the entire spoon carving process in a lot more detail
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What if I’m already an experienced spoon carver?
You will have the opportunity to build upon your existing skills whilst being surrounded by other highly talented spoon carvers
Additionally, you will be able to showcase your skill during the guest demonstrations
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Is there car parking?
Yes and it is included in the ticket price
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What if I am arriving by public transport?
We will list all the nearest Train stations, Bus stops, etc on the confirmation page issued to you after you have bought your ticket
You can use those details to then plan your journey
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Can I do a car share using my own car or someone else’s?
We highly encourage this where possible
To best facilitate this, we recommend you discuss car sharing with other attendees on our Facebook group titled ‘Spoontownies’
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Can I arrive earlier than 3pm on the Thursday?
Afraid not
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Will I need proof of purchase when registering at the event?
Yes please, a copy of your ticket invoice / PDF on your phone will be sufficient
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Instead of camping, can I stay in a Hotel / Bed & Breakfast / Airbnb?
Of course you can
All we ask is that you wear your wristband at all times when at the event
And display your car pass on the dashboard when parking your car in the designated car park
We have one ticket price for everyone regardless of whether you camp at the venue or not
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Do you have any recommendations for a Hotel / Bed & Breakfast / Airbnb near the venue?
There are Hotels, Bed & breakfasts and Airbnbs in the area
However, we cannot give any specific recommendations
We will provide you with the full address of the venue as well as a map of the area, on the confirmation page once you have bought your ticket
Feel free to use that to search online for suitable places to stay
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I have children, can they come?
Yes, children under 16 are free but they MUST be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times
This is primarily an educational event for adults, and as such, we will not have facilities for children
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Can I purchase a cheaper ticket if I only attend part of the event?
We have one ticket price that gives you access to the entire event over the 4 days
The ethos behind Spoontown is that it will be an immersive environment
Therefore please do your best to attend the entire duration where possible
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Can I bring my own food?
There is a cafeteria on-site where you can purchase Breakfasts & Lunches (Vegan options available)
On Thursday / Friday / Saturday evenings we will have a food truck available (Vegan options available)
Asides from that, feel free to cook your own food using your own camping gas equipment
We will have a dedicated central fire pit you can cook over as well
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Can I light my own fire?
Asides from the communal fire pit, no other fires are allowed
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Are there toilet facilities on-site?
Yes, including disabled access toilets
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Is the site wheelchair accessible?
Yes the site is wheelchair accessible
But please bear in mind this is a grassy outdoor location open to the elements
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Are there shower facilities?
No
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What if covid strikes?
The past two years have taught us that anything is possible and out of our control
If we are told to postpone the event by the government due to Covid or other unforeseen circumstances
Then refunds will be issued – Minus a 10% administration fee
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What if after purchasing my ticket I cannot attend?
You will have the chance to reassign your ticket via the Facebook Group ‘Spoontownies’
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Do I need to bring tools to carve at the event?
Yes we encourage you to bring your own tools
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Are Workshop Sessions included in the ticket price?
Workshop Sessions will be a separate payment that goes directly to the trainers
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Will I need to provide my own tools for the Workshop Sessions?
Some of the trainers will provide all the tools needed
Whereas others may require you to bring tools along with you
Specific information for each Workshop Session will be listed on the confirmation page when you have purchased your ticket
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Can I sell my wares?
There will be a Spoontown Craft Market on the Sunday between 10.30am – 2pm
Where everyone can sell their Spoons, Tools, Crafts, and Outdoor gear
To cover the cost of a pitch fee, we ask for a donation that will go directly to a chosen charity (TBC)
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Can I bring alcohol?
There’s no need as we will have a bar available in the evenings
But if you do bring your own, we ask that you take your empties home with you and you do not drink and carve
We are sure you know how to be sensible
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Can I bring my dog?
Yes
But they will have to be on a lead at all times
No barking during the night
And please clean up after your dog
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Is smoking allowed?
Smoking is permitted outside of shelters
But please be aware of those around you who do not smoke
And dispose of cigarette butts responsibly
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Is there mobile phone reception?
Yes
Although not guaranteed what with it being an outdoor location
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Are there electrical outlets?
No, as this is a rural campsite
So please bring your own power packs
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Are there any cashpoints on-site?
No
Bring enough cash with you
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Can I make on-site purchases with a credit/debit card?
Workshop Sessions will be Cash only
The On-site cafe will accept Cash & Debit/Credit cards
The Food Truck will accept Cash & Debit/Credit cards
Bar (Spoon Saloon) will accept Cash & Debit/Credit cards
The Sunday Spoontown Craft Market will be Cash only
Due to patchy mobile phone signal, it is best advised to use cash where possible
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How far is the nearest supermarket / newsagent?
We would advise you to visit shops before arriving, as we will need to observe vehicle movement restrictions onsite for the duration of Spoontown
If you urgently need to visit a Supermarket or Newsagent during the event, one of our volunteers will provide you with more details and directions
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Are there water taps?
Yes, there will be running water for drinking and washing
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Are there washing up facilities?
Yes
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What do I bring?
You will be issued a recommended kit list upon confirmation of ticket purchase
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Where do I dispose of my rubbish?
You take it home with you in a rubbish bag that you will be issued with upon arrival
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Can I drive offsite during the event?
Yes, but with caution
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Can I leave the event early?
Yes
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Can I stay an extra night?
Afraid not
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What if I don’t know anyone there?
You will be amongst 149 other spoon carvers
And we are a very friendly bunch!
We look forward to seeing you at SPOONTOWN 2022!
Contact Us
If you have any questions or queries
Please do not hesitate to contact Jill Swan using this email address – Jill@jillswan.com