Member Profiles

Rachel Benson

I’ve now been weaving for 11 years starting in 2013 with sculptural forms then moving onto traditional basketry.  I’m addicted to the lovely smell of willow, the way the rods bend and curve, finding out how it behaves and what will and won’t work. l've hosted basketry workshops 2015 - 2024 with Phil Bradley, Anna TUrnbull and Jane Chapman. I also grow a small amount of basketry willow; whilst the willow beds do have amazing views, at over 1000’ in the Yorkshire Dales and quite windy, the harvest is not so prolific and can be branchey!

I also enjoy green woodworking and using a shave horse to help make willow frames!

I joined Northumbria Basketry Group in 2019 and enjoyed a workshop with Anna Turnbull.

Some folk who've been to willow workshops at Broadrake started to meet up informally to improve our weaving skills and now we are a self help group for Northumbria Basketry Group, offering a more southern venue at the NW edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

We normally meet on the 2nd Weds of each month, subject to bunkbarn bookings. 2025 dates are as follows:

Jan 8th 2025 - replaced with zoom chat due to inaccessible lane and track

Feb 12th  March 12^th  April 9^th   May 14^th    June 11^th

Break for summer in July and August

Sept 10^th   Oct 8^th   Nov 12^th    Dec 10^th – Jacob’s Join lunch

If you interested in coming along to weave together, sharing tips and knowledge along with chat in our self-help group, then please get in touch rache@nosneb.co.uk 

If you are a tutor and wish to use us as a workshop venue then please get in touch - we are in a stunning location and also offer overnight accommodation at just £30ppn Sun-Thurs nights. If folk stay overnight for your workshop, then there is no venue hire, just a small fee for daytime hospitality. Maybe a group of you might want to come and stay to weave together where you can also walk and enjoy the Dales landscape. Please note that we only take large sole use groups at weekends. 

I am a member of The Basketmakers Association.

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