Luke, second from the left, teaching one of our Fundamentals courses

As part of a new series, we’re talking to the Among The Trees staff about what they do and why they do it. We’ve learned over the years that working with reclaimed materials is a bit of an unusual calling, and attracts all sorts of interesting people.

This time we’re talking with Luke, our Classroom and Courses Manager. Luke is responsible for not only putting together our wonderful course program but teaches a lot of our classes too! When not in front of students, he can be found preparing for new courses, keeping our school tools in check and nice and sharp, and continuously improving the classroom facilities!

What do you love about your job / what gets you out of bed?

I love reuse, making, and teaching, and I’m fortunate that my work allows me to indulge in at least one of these passions most days. Over the years, I’ve also fallen in love with woodworking, and it’s deeply satisfying to be part of a business that not only lets me work with—and introduce others to—this incredible material but also rescues it from being needlessly discarded.

What’s your favourite thing about recycled and/or reclaimed timber?

Although reclaimed timber can be of exceptional quality, it often carries features that might traditionally be seen as imperfections. I enjoy working with these characteristics—nail holes, knots and the signs of age or previous use—allowing them to shape the direction of a design. Sometimes I highlight them as points of interest, and other times they guide design changes to best utiilse a particular piece.

Among The Trees is built around sustainability, but what do you personally find valuable about a sustainable outlook?

I was raised with the belief that we should try to leave the world a little better than we found it. With that in mind, I want to do what I can to minimise the effects of climate change. I believe that reuse, repair, and shifting away from the cycle of endless consumption—driven by intentionally poorly made products—are essential steps in that process.

Do you have any parting words of wisdom to our readers?

Doing the right thing dosen't need to be a chore. Sometimes your local 2nd hand shop might not have exactly what you're after but if you incorporate a quick visit into your week you never know what treasures you'll find and sometimes it will be something you hadn't considered and better than imagined. Similarly although it's easier to go a by a cheap (cost and quality) piece of furniture from a conglomerate there is a real joy in restoring one that might be getting thrown away, learning lessons along the way and creating something that could be passed on to future generations full of history, memories and meaning.

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