About Us

We are a club which was formed in 1994 to promote the craft of woodturning in the East Surrey and North Kent areas. We are based in Selsdon, to the east of Croydon, but have members from a much wider area.

What Do We Do?

We have monthly face-to-face meetings, usually on a Monday, at which there is usually a demonstration of an aspect of turning, presented either by members or by one of the country's top turners; there is also the opportunity for members to discuss and display their turning successes and failures, and exchange tips and views. We have excellent close circuit video equipment which allows the audience a much better view of the demonstrator's techniques, including the all-important view from above the lathe. This allows you to see clearly just how the tool is being held and applied to the work. Each month there is a raffle, with several useful prizes (normally related to turning) on offer. Members are often selling, or even giving away wood or equipment - some great bargains can be had this way.

In addition, we have on-line meetings on most of the other Mondays using Zoom. This allows members to keep in touch with one another, and show what they have made without having to wait for the next in-person meeting.

We are actively recruiting new members currently, so if you want to join, do get in touch - you won't have to go on a waiting list. There is no joining fee, and no meeting charges - only an annual subscription of just £85, which includes membership of the national association, the AWGB. If you want to check us out before joining, there is no charge for visitors on their first meeting, but we charge a guest fee of £10 per meeting after that, out of fairness to our members. Visitors to all-day events will pay £10.

What Does It Cost?

The membership year is January to December; the subscription for 2026 is £85. Members who join from July to September pay £43 for the half-year, while joining in October to December costs the full £85, but this pays for membership through to the end of the next year. Junior members (aged 16-22 on 1st Jan) pay no subscription at all, and we offer a family membership of £140 for up to four adults at the same address. To simplify, here's a table that summarises all this:

How To Join

Simply come along to a meeting and talk to us - we'll take your details for our records, and ask you to fill in a form for the AWGB membership. You can pay in person (cash or cheque), or we can give you bank details so you can pay on-line. Alternatively, you can download the forms here and send them to us (completed, of course!).

• ESW Membership Application Form

• AWGB Membership Application Form

What Else Do We Do?

We attend local fairs and events, taking lathes with us and displaying the craft to an ever-widening audience, as well as running an active sales table of items produced by the membership. We also operate "Have A Go" sessions during the year, where members and visitors are encouraged to come along and do some turning, receive some help with any problems they may have, or have new techniques demonstrated to them which they can then try out straight away (how often do you see something new, but have forgotten exactly how to do it when you finally get home to your lathe?).

See the Events page for more details of what we are doing and when.

We are an Affiliated Branch of the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain (AWGB).

Click the logo above to link to their website.

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