27/05/2025
As more woodworking businesses turn to digital tools to manage daily operations, the risk of cybercrime is becoming a growing concern. From managing stock and customer orders to accounting and ...
The winners of the 2014 annual MakeIT! Competition have been announced at a packed awards ceremony at the National Furniture Show at Rycotewood Furniture Centre, Oxfordshire.
Attracting a host of industry professionals and finalist schools, the event celebrated the hard work and achievements of the thousands of students who took part in this year’s MakeIT! Furniture and MakeIT! Wood competitions.
At the event, 10 pupils from across the country were awarded category winners for their hard work, knowledge and designs. While Evie Butler, a Year 9 pupil from King Alfred’s School was announced as the 2014 MakeIT! Overall Winner. Evie was awarded the prize for the commerciality and originality of her chair design, and received an invite to the students evening at the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers plus an array of prizes all courtesy of this year’s sponsors.
Chris Hyde. Head of Learning at the Rycotewood Furniture Centre said "This was a brilliant event. The MakeIT! Competition helps students to connect with their imagination and creativity. The entries seen demonstrated some good thinking and prototypes. It is very encouraging to see how the schools value learning by design and making. "
As part of the MakeIT! Furniture programme, students are asked to design an item of furniture for use by one of the primary sectors, which can be manufactured using sustainable materials and eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. Within the MakeIT! Wood programme students have to research and design a product, identifying the type of raw materials used, considering sustainable design and investigating production processes, as well as showing their understanding of environmental issues in the Wood and Timber Industries.
Commenting on the awards Jonathan Ledger, Managing Director at Proskills Academy said “The Proskills Schools Into Industry programmes are about inspiring young people to look at careers in the wood and furniture industries, and yet it is participating students and teachers themselves who are the absolute inspiration. Their enthusiasm to participate and to produce such high quality entries is hard to contain. Watching the winners and finalists collect their prizes was a real honour and it’s always good to see such dedication being justly rewarded. Well done to all who took part in MakeIT. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists.
2013/14 Category Winners
MakeIT! Furniture Year 9 Winner – Evie Butler – King Alfreds School
MakeIT! Furniture Year 10 Winner – Jake Wilburn – Altrincham College of Arts
MakeIT! Furniture Year 12 Winner – James Fitchett – Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School
Best Process and Presentation – James Mortley & Josh Steadman – Simon Langton Grammar School
Best Project work – Toby Reed – Henry Box School
Judges Special Commendation – Daniel Cornwall – Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School
MakeIT! Wood Year 9 Winner – Laurie Day – Henry Box School
MakeIT! Wood Year 10 Winner – Sam Blacker – St. Alban’s Catholic High School
Best Teacher – Mr Thomas Brewin – Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
Furniture Makers Project Winner – Natalie Godfrey – Henry Box School
Overall Winner of MakeIT! 2014
Evie Butler – King Alfreds School
