OBee CIC Volunteers win an Improve and Prove award from Suffolk County Council

In 2010, under the tutelage of Traditional Oak Carpenter Rick Lewis, trainees constructed a 17th pitch roof for Orchard Barn. It was like a medieval timber yard. The trees came from woodland just 3 miles away. Many were hand converted on site to make the new roof frame. Then, over the next 9 months, more than 70 OBee Volunteers came and helped make the covering - an oak shingle roof. This was a labour of love as we made 20,000 shingles by hand from local oak. The battens were cleaved from local Sweet Chestnut. We all grew fitter as well as more skilled during the winter of 2010/11. This project shows what can be achieved when people choose to work together.

The timber frame was repaired during 2009 by 22 local and not so local folk. Three of whom went on to get jobs in the timber framing industry.