Tackling gender inequality in woodworking

We are delighted to be a supporting partner in an innovative project to tackle gender inequality in woodworking.

Sylva Foundation, a national environmental charity based in Oxfordshire, has been awarded a grant of £240,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to tackle gender inequality in Britain’s heritage woodwork and furniture making sectors.

The charity runs a successful wood school and hosts multiple businesses at its Wood Centre in Long Wittenham, South Oxfordshire. Through its work, including training the next generation of craftspeople and supporting business start-ups, Sylva is increasingly aware of gender inequality in the woodworking sector.

This has been reinforced by the charity’s independent research which showed that among 954 employees represented in a survey, only 20 per cent of the workforce were women, and among those working in manufacturing the percentage dipped as low as 8.5 per cent.

Heritage Crafts’ Tess Osman will sit on the project steering group.

Innovative Project launched to tackle gender inequality in woodworking