Furniture designer tackles 630-mile trek for woodland charity

Charlie Dedman, a furniture designer at Hampshire outdoor furnituremaker Gaze Burvill and one of The Furniture Makers’ Company’s ’60 for 60′ industry rising stars, is undertaking a 630-mile trek to raise funds for the Woodland Heritage charity.

From 1st April, taking 2.5 months out from work, 32-year-old Charlie, from Petersfield in Hampshire, will walk from Minehead to South Haven Port along the South West Coast Path, known as the Salt Path.

“Growing up on the edge of the South Downs National park, and son of a property restorer, I have always been surrounded by nature and processes that complement it,” he says. “Now, eight years into a furniture design career at Gaze Burvill, who produce the finest outdoor furniture, I am hitting pause on CAD, emails and deadlines and hitting the 630-mile South West Coast Path for a new, life-affirming challenge.”

Woodland Heritage is striving to help create a more self-sufficient UK that utilises timber grown in healthy, well-managed woodlands.

John Orchard, chief executive of Woodland Heritage, comments: “Charlie is an inspiration! We all love trees and woodlands. But it’s surprising that so few of the nation’s woodlands are sustainably managed, and that the UK is the third largest importer of forest products in the world. During a climate crisis, we simply aren’t making the most of what we have.

“To change this is a long road. Even longer than the 630 miles Charlie will be covering to support Woodland Heritage. Good luck Charlie, we’re rooting for you!”

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