Wonderful world of wood sets up home in Aldingbourne Country Centre

For a year John and colleague Gary Curden have sold hand-made wooden mushrooms and daisies in the charity's gift shop at the Aldingbourne Country Centre.

Now John has moved his workshop to the centre where he is creating a world of wooden mushrooms.

Adults with learning difficulties use the centre to develop greater independence and improve their chances of employment. John is offering them work experience in his workshop.

He said: "Aldingbourne is a very, very happy place and the clients are great so I am looking forward to working with them. We have lots of ideas for what to do next year '“ I'm just trying to get the word out there about Aldingbourne really."

He added: "I got involved there because my children go to school with a lady who worked here. She asked if I wanted to sell some bits in the little shop, so I did.

"Nobody really knows about Aldingbourne, but if it was in Chichester I am sure the shelves in that shop would be empty all the time as there is just some fantastic stuff in there."

Each mushroom John makes is crafted from local wood '“ red and Atlantic cedar from the Goodwood estate in Chichester and English yew from Great Ballard School in Eartham.

A large quantity of wood from sea defence work was donated by the Environment Agency and timber from a variety of trees comes from English Woodlands in Cocking.

Each mushroom is unique and can be personalised with an engraving.

Customers can view and buy John's larger garden features from the Aldingbourne Country Centre, just off the A27 near the Fontwell roundabout.

And at Chichester Butter Market he has an outlet displaying and selling smaller features more suitable as Christmas presents which is open seven days a week until January 23.

John has received commissions from Alan Titchmarsh, Linda Lusardi and Lapland UK.

His latest one, for the Shockwaves NME Awards at the Brixton Academy, transformed the stage into an enchanted forest of mushrooms.

For more details visit www.themagicofmushrooms.com call 01243 641490 or go to www.aldingbournetrust.co.uk

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