Emma Cook
Chair
Emma began wood turning at the age of 16, following in the footsteps of her uncle and younger brother. Her love for the hobby quickly grew and following a number of visits to various woodturning shows she decided that wood turning was to be her career. This brave decision culminated in founding of her brand ‘The Tiny Turner’ in 2013 and Emma began demonstrating at clubs and shows throughout the UK and internationally. Two years later, she launched her online shop and in 2021 was accepted onto the Register of Professional Turners. She joined the committee of the RPT in March 2022 and became Chair in March 2024.
chair@rpturners.co.uk
07709 610089
Carlyn Lindsay
Vice Chair and Exhibitions Coordinator
Carlyn, known for her ‘stripey wood’ began laminating at school, sticking anything together, making gluey lumps! It was the laminating that lead her to turning. Having completed her degree, Carlyn worked for 2 years as a furniture maker then started her business as a ‘Designer-Maker’ with help from the Prince’s Youth Business Trust. She was a board member of the trust for 4 years, helping others to launch their businesses. Carlyn, a full time maker was accepted onto the RPT in 2003 and became a committee member in 2020.
07941 676945
George Shapland
Treasurer
George has been turning for around 17 years but only became a full time turner on retiring from the Army in 2017. Having trained under Stuart Mortimer, he turned professional in 2019 with the launch of his company Butterwood and was accepted on to the Register later that year. He joined the RPT Committee as Secretary in October ’21, adding Treasurer to his portfolio in June ’22. He is also a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Turners.
07810 460783
01980 671321
David Ives
Enrolment Secretary
Woodturning” magazine. David is a woodturner from Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. His passion is making button pots and fluid wood sculptures.
enrolmentsec@rpturners.co.uk
Les Symonds
Feedback Coordinator
Les became a hobby-turner in 2012 and left his teaching career to become a full-time, professional turner in 2014 when he opened his own small gallery and workshop in Snowdonia. In 2016 he joined the RPT, becoming editor of its newsletter and then a full committee member soon after. He teaches the craft to individual students two or three times a week. Les is also a regular feature writer for “Woodturning” magazine.
07979 074320
Darren Breeze
Assessment Sub-Committee Member
In 2008, whilst running his construction company, Darren began his woodturning journey. This fascination with his new hobby quickly turned to obsession and with the boost of a Worshipful Company of Turners’ bursary award in 2017, opened his woodturning gallery and shop in Lowestoft. Now Darren demonstrates both in person and IRD in the UK and Europe; he also teaches and sells myriad woodturning paraphernalia in his shop, website and through eBay. In 2018 he was accepted on to the Register and became a committee member in 2023.
darren@breezewoodturning.com
07714983275
Joe Laird
Overseas Enrolment Representative
Having spent all his working life with wood, Joe is truly passionate about the craft; allowing the wood and its idiosyncrasies to determine the outcome of his pieces. With 20 years woodturning experience and 16 of these as a professional, he now demonstrates and teaches worldwide and regularly runs courses from his studio in Dublin. Joe plans to spend many more years exploring the endless possibilities of this fascinating, natural but enigmatic material we all love.
www.joelairdwoodturning.com