A student who won a national prize to have his seat design made into a piece of furniture from the OneOak tree has returned to the National School of Furniture at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College (OCVC). This time he came with classmates from the Arden School in Solihull, to see how his winning design was being put together at OCVC and to lend a helping hand.

Oliver Mason won the MakeIT! award in June this year (read more) with his design for a seat.  MakeIT!  is an sector-based project and competition for schools, organised by Proskills, to show students how furniture is designed and made in the Furniture, Furnishings and Interiors (FFI) Industry. 

MakeIT winner Oliver Mason (front right) at the National School of Furniture, Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, with fellow students from Arden School, Solihull. Here they are learning to steam-bend oak from the OneOak tree. Photo OCVC.

Oliver and classmates had a tour of the facilities, undertook some practical activities and then made some components for the winning furniture design, supervised by OCVC’s Woodmill Technician Geoff Carter.