THE POPLAR CHALLENGE 2009

Woodworkers from all over the country are invited to take part in a free competition to construct something creative from a ‘kit’ of poplar timber. We are hoping to encourage upto 20 enthusiastic woodworkers and carpenters to use poplar timber and there innovative skills to produce something special.

In conjunction with the National Forest Company (NFC), the Poplar Tree Company (PTC) of Hereford is running a competition to find the most creative use of poplar wood.  After the success of the competition last year we are again looking for interesting designs and products.  All entries will be judged and the winner announced at the National Forest Wood Fair, to be held at Beacon Hill Country Park in Leicestershire on Bank Holiday Monday 31 August 2009.

Poplar is a light and easily workable wood and previous entries to the competition have included toys, indoor furniture and garden products and sculptures with last year’s winners being a miniature house. The wide variety of designs and ideas are a great inspiration and we are looking forwards to this year’s entries.

Please phone ahead to make an appointment: contact the NFC on 01283 551211 or PTC on 01981 250253 to obtain a pack, entry form and rules of the competition.

The Poplar Challenge 2009

Run by the Poplar Tree Company (PTC) together with

the National Forest Company

The brief:

Using the poplar pack provided by the PTC the designer will make a product of their own choice.  Past examples include toys, indoor furniture and garden products.  All products must be exhibited at the National Forest Wood Fair (31st August 2009).

The PTC and NFC will provide:

A poplar pack (free of charge) to be collected from either the offices of the PTC (Hereford, Lower Lulham) or the NFC (Moira, Derbyshire), or delivered by arrangement. Photographs of past entries will also be available for viewing at the PTC and NFC offices.  The poplar pack consists Five poplar boards (1 m  x 150mm x 25mm) and two poplar battens (1.2m x 25mm x 25mm).and two posts (1.4 m x 5cm x 5cm)

Poplar has a high resistance to abrasion. Low flammability. Free from taints and odours. Tendency to wooliness. Straight grain. Relatively light weight. Low bending strength. Medium crushing strength. Very low shock resistance. Used a lot for musical instruments.

The Competition:

Completed entries should be taken and exhibited at the National Forest Wood Fair.  All entrants will receive, free of charge, a family ticket to the Wood Fair.  The PTC will judge all entrants in three classes; best use of poplar, best commercial entry and the most original entry.  The top three exhibitors will receive a pewter cup.  The winner will receive a cash prize and the overall winner will hold (for 1 year) the poplar cup.  All entrants can keep their product.  However, the PTC and NFC would reserve the opportunity to purchase, at a mutually agreed price, any of the winning products. There is also an auction at the end of the wood fair for chartable causes so please inform us if you are happy to enter your endeavour.

The products can be painted or stained.  Fixing materials (nails, screws etc) can be used but plastic must not.

The NFC will contact by telephone/email each entrant to the Wood Fair in order to check on progress.

Packs can be collected from the NFC and PTC from at any time.  Please phone ahead to make an appointment – up to 20 packs are available so “first come, first served”

Pack will be as picture above

Please send the final sheet back with your details to :-

        Lower Lulham, Madley,

           Hereford, HR2  9JJ                                                    

           Fax 01981 251211

           E mail info@poplartree.co.uk

Poplar Challenge 2009

Run by the Poplar Tree Company (PTC) together with the National Forest Company

Name of entrant           ________________________

Address

Telephone                       ________________________

E-mail                              ________________________

Fax                                   ________________________

I hereby agree to abide with the brief and competition rules of the Poplar Challenge 2009.  I will use the poplar pack and submit a product for judging at the National Forest Wood Fair 2009.

Signed                 ________________________                            Date      ______________________