Whittling Workshop with Jo Wren

Jo Wren is running a whittling workshop at Plot 22 on Sunday 12 July, from 10:30 to 12:30. It's a two-hour session, and the whole thing is built around the idea of carving out a bit of time for yourself. If you've never whittled before, it's just the simplest form of woodcarving — you take a piece of wood and a knife and slowly shape it into something. Wren describes the session as contemplative and mindful, so it's as much about the process of sitting and working with your hands as it is about what you end up with.

Over the two hours, you'll pick up the basic techniques of whittling and use them to make one or two useful objects to take home. The focus is on a conscious connection with nature, and the slower pace is part of the point. It's the kind of thing that suits a Sunday morning: a few hours of quiet, focused work rather than a rushed class.

Jo Wren is an enthusiastic whittler who trained with Barn the Spoon and the Sussex Woodsman, and she's led carving sessions and other nature-focused activities before. The workshop runs at Plot 22, located in the Weald Allotments in Hove (BN3 7JN), so it's tucked away in the allotments rather than on a high street. Tickets are £20 for a standard entry, and you can book yours online in advance.