Wild Charcoal Making
Please enquire on 07798 672 422 for a proposal for your event
or send us a message below
A hands‑on woodland firecraft experience set in ancient charcoal‑making woodland. Your team will forage materials, build and fire scale charcoal clamps, explore ring‑kiln burning, create charcoal pencils and produce woodland art — an engaging, sensory day suitable for all skill levels.
About the event
Wild Charcoal Making is an immersive, fire‑centred team experience set in ancient woodland with a deep charcoal‑making heritage. Drawing on Pam and Francis Gimblett’s 26 years of designing fun, interactive formats that blend activity, information and humour, the day offers a lively, collaborative programme.
The session begins with a forage for the materials needed to build scale versions of traditional charcoal clamps — the ancient structures used to transform wood into charcoal. After an introduction that brings to life the Weald’s iron‑making history, participants work in groups to construct and fire their clamps, gaining practical insight into airflow, structure and the slow transformation of wood to charcoal.
Participants also craft their own charcoal pencils and, with guidance from the resident artist, create woodland art pieces using templates or freeform inspiration.
As the day progresses, teams enjoy tastings of woodland cordials and shrubs, help to fill and light the ring kiln, and take part in additional seasonal woodland activities as time allows. A three‑course lunch made largely from woodland and farm produce provides a restorative pause, with refreshments available throughout.
Delivered as a half‑day or full‑day programme, Wild Charcoal Making offers teams a grounding, sensory experience that encourages collaboration, curiosity and a refreshing shift from the pace of corporate life.
Your objectives
Strategy: Use the multi‑stage charcoal‑making process to explore sequencing, adaptive decision‑making and practical problem‑solving — a hands‑on analogue for strategic clarity.
Connection: Emphasise shared physical tasks, collaborative clamp building and woodland art to strengthen rapport, trust and informal team communication.
Respite: Lean into the grounding rhythm of firecraft, woodland scent and creative charcoal work to offer a restorative pause that reduces cognitive load and supports wellbeing.
Please enquire on 07798 672 422 for a proposal for your event or send us a message below
"Wow! I have taken part in numerous workshops (charcoal making / basket making / cheese and bread making) with Pam, Francis and Amy and each has been unique, enriching and so much fun; all within the beautiful backdrop of the Wild Weald woodland. Each workshop has made the most of the changing seasons - and weather! - to make sure that participants have a day filled with new skills and also to educate us on how our ancestors used to live certain aspects of their lives. I recommend Wild Weald highly!" Luke Hibbert, Google Review