Exceptional students celebrated at Rycotewood Furniture Awards ceremony

The next generation of furniture designers and makers were celebrated at the Rycotewood Furniture Awards, held at City of Oxford College and University Centre (24 June).

The prestigious event highlighted the exceptional craftmanship, creativity and skill Rycotewood students bring to their work.

Rycotewood Furniture Centre has delivered training in Oxfordshire since 1938. Located at City of Oxford College and University Centre since 2004, it’s an internationally renowned Centre of Excellence offering vocational training for people seeking careers in furniture design and making.

Over 200 visitors, including past and present Rycotewood Furniture Centre students, employers, manufacturers, and industry professionals attended the event at the Oxpens Road campus.

Visitors had the opportunity to explore a diverse range of work including coffee tables, asymmetric chairs and wall hangings. They also got to meet the makers and discover the ideas and inspiration behind each piece.

A new addition to the show this year included a room featuring wooden lighting designs created as part of Rycotewood’s BA lighting project, supported by Häfele UK and John Makepeace Furniture.

The project asked students to design and manufacture an object that would showcase Häfele UK lighting products and celebrate the best of British craft.

Häfele UK is a leading supplier of lighting solutions to industry, lying at the cutting edge of lighting innovation.

John Makepeace is an eminent designer and furniture maker with over 65-years’ experience in high-end furniture, batch-produced products, forestry and woodland management, timber architecture and education.

The celebrations were opened by Paul Newman, Executive Director – Faculties and Colleges (South) at Activate Learning, before speeches were given by Rycotewood Furniture Centre staff and prizes presented to the winning students.

Callum Quigley, an Apprentice at Howard Bros Joinery, won Apprentice of the Year. He is studying a Bespoke Furniture Making Level 3 Apprenticeship at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

He said: “I feel great. It’s a shock, but hard work pays off! Everyone at Rycotewood and Howard Bros Joinery are great. Without them, it would have been impossible. My classmates too – we don’t just work as individuals; we work as a team.”

Eli Al-Baho, who is studying a Foundation Degree in Furniture Design and Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre, won The Mirka Award.

He said: “I’m really happy and so elated! It’s an honour. My designs are boxes which are shaped like gemstones. They are faceted and I wanted them to look natural, like they just came out of nature, to look seamless and free.”

Paul Vickers, Apprentice Mentor at Bill Cleyndert & Company, commented on the event: “It’s amazing, and it just shows the talent we’ve got here for the future. The apprentices can aspire to the next level. Some of them are only second years, and I’m sure they’ll take inspiration from this for projects that we do back at work. This is the next generation for them.”

Josh Hudson, Rycotewood Furniture Lead at Activate Learning, said: “It’s a pleasure to see outstanding achievements of students’ work at Rycotewood’s 87^th year show.

“The day has been an amazing success, with our annual employer afternoon with over 50 industry sponsors and partners networking with students, also taking place earlier this afternoon.

“Having support from those who surround the Rycotewood students is a testament to its long-standing history and the students’ success. It is an honour to lead such a creative and inspiring faculty.”
Find out more about Furniture programmes at City of Oxford College and University Centre or contact Activate Learning via 0800 612 6008.

ENDS

Notes for editors

Below is a full list of the winners:

The Laurie Turner Award for Outstanding Achievement in Design Studies was presented to Alex Chavez-Smith, who received a trophy originally designed and donated by a student who attended Rycotewood from 1964–1966. Alex is studying BA (Hons) Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Lazenby Award for the Best Example of Making, donated by Dr Jack Lazenby in 1986, was won by Shaun Allison who is studying BA (Hons) Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Harris Cup for Outstanding Achievement in Design History, donated by Mrs Harris in memory of her son, Ernest, who was a student at Rycotewood, was won by Toby Watson who is studying a Foundation Degree in Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Jane Muir Award for the Most Imaginative Use of Materials, donated by a local artist who served on the Rycotewood’s Professional Advisory Committee, was won by Baxter Manley-Leach, who is studying BA (Hons) Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Dr Anthony Buxton Award for the Best BA Research Project was won by Dave Gregg. Anthony was a friend of Rycotewood who passed in 2023. Dave is studying BA (Hons) Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Liz Raymont Trophy for the Best Newcomer, donated by a student who attended Rycotewood in 1967-1978, was won by Freddie Corbyn, who is studying a Foundation Degree Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Bo Korting Award for Accuracy and Precision was presented by Sarah Korting and won by Raz Howes. Bo was an outstanding student and member of staff, and the award’s prize is supported by the Rycotewood Association. Raz is studying a Level 3 Diploma in Furniture Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Michaelis Cup for Excellence in Modern Craftsmanship, donated by Cecil Michaelis – Founder of Rycotewood, was won by Dave Gregg, who is studying BA (Hons) Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Ercol Award for Design and Manufacture of Seating was presented by Roy Graves, Technical Support Manager at Ercol, and won by Lucas Barrett, who is studying a Foundation Degree Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The William Hands Production Award for Making & Production was won by Alex Holden, who is studying BA (Hons) in Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

Gordon Russell Design Museum Award for Design in honour of Ray Leigh, was won by Dave Gregg.

The Guyll-Leng Trust Award for Outstanding Achievement, sponsored by the Rycotewood Association, for the FE student who has shown dedication and tireless working to their craft, was won by Lily Dominguez-Walker, who is studying a Level 3 Diploma in Furniture Making.

Guyll-Leng Trust Award for the Learner Journey, sponsored by the Rycotewood Association, recognising students who’ have shown development in themselves and their skills, was won by Luke Chowns who is studying a Level 3 Diploma in Furniture Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Häfele Award was presented by Andy Toseland, Academy Manager at Häfele UK, and was won by:

Innovative lighting design – Baxter Manley-Leach for The Stretch.

Creative use of light – David Gregg for Meridian Lamp.

Use of lighting technologies – Alex Holden for Eclipse.

The Apprentice Awards, sponsored by Axminster tools, were presented by Alex Wade, Account Manager at Axminster Tools, and Faith King, Apprenticeships Teacher at Activate Learning.

The Apprentice Newcomer Award was won by Amber Bateman, an Apprentice at Bill Cleyndert & Company, who is studying a Level 2 Apprenticeship in Furniture at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Apprentice of the Year Award was won by Callum Quigley, Apprentice at Howard Bros Joinery. Callum is studying a Level 3 Bespoke Furniture Making Apprenticeship at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Mirka Award, which is dedicated to the Finnish, was presented by Neil Newbrook, Business Sector Manager at Mirka UK Ltd, and won by Eli Al-Baho, who is studying a Foundation Degree in Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Award for the Most Innovative Use of Latham’s Products was presented by Stuart Devoil, Group Head of Marketing at James Latham’s.

It was jointly won by Merrick Allard who is studying a Foundation Degree in Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre, and Toby Bradshaw, who is studying a Foundation Degree in Furniture Design & Making at City of Oxford College and University Centre.

The Furniture Makers Company Award for the Best in Show, was presented by Debbie Johnson, Master of the Worshipful Furniture Makers’ Company, and was won by Alex Chavez-Smith and Dave Gregg.

A one-off award was given to Faith King, Rycotewood Apprenticeships Teacher, recognising her recent completion of the Level 5 Learning & Skills Teaching Apprenticeship at City of Oxford College and University Centre, alongside developing the new Level 2 Furniture Operative Apprenticeship Delivery at Rycotewood Furniture Centre.

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Image captions

Visitors observe designs at Rycotewood Furniture Awards ceremony.

About Activate Learning:
Activate Learning is a forward-thinking education group working across further and higher education, schools, apprenticeships and training. We transform lives through learning.

GROUP MEMBERS:

www.activatelearning.ac.uk

For more information, please contact Caitlin Kelly, Communications Officer at Activate Learning, via email at [email protected]