mel & sarahs history

mel has worked in a bank, drummed in a band, before training at Lewisham college in carpentry and joinery where she obtained her NVQ 1&2. she has been working as a self-employed carpenter for 9 years. during that time she also spent some time working for a kitchen fitting company, and teaching Carpentry NVQ1 at WEB after completing City and Guilds 7407 teaching qualification. she is currently branching out into upholstery.

sarah has completed a degree in Social Anthropology at Goldsmiths College, then went on to do her NVQ 1 & 2 at WEB , a women’s college in Surrey Quays (which unfortunately no longer exists). she has also obtained a City & Guilds in Cabinet Making from Metropolitan University in East London. she is currently thinking about a masters in sustainable architecture at the Centre for Alternative Technology.

we have been working together now for 5 years undertaking fitted furniture, carpentry and kitchen work in the south east London area. this year we have completed NVQ3 in carpentry and joinery. we are also periodically teaching DIY courses to women in conjunction with WAMT, who are a charity that works to encourage and help women in non-traditional work. we run informal courses to help women gain the skills to do work in their own homes. this year we have been running the same course in Holloway Prison in North London. this has been extremely challenging and rewarding at the same time. we have been thinking about developing this scheme of informal learning within our business. so if you and a group of your friends would be interested in learning some basic skills we could run workshops at your houses? just an idea!!