This week’s Meet the Team blog is with Joe, one of the newest members of the Plankbridge hutmaking team. You may recognise him wheeling one of our huts out of the workshop in a recent Instagram reel that had close to 1 million views…
Have you always wanted to work with wood?
I’m quite a practical person and have always been interested in carpentry. My dad had a lathe when I was growing up and I went through a phase of making bowls out of local wood with him. After school, I studied carpentry at the local college, Kingston Maurward in Dorchester, where I got to make everything from model aeroplanes to coffee tables, and learnt how to cut dovetail and mortice and tenon joints.
Do you have a favourite shepherd’s hut model?
The Pig at Home wagon – I love the old barn cladding and putting it into a different setting, like the ensuite bathroom.
What is the best thing about working at Plankbridge?
There’s a great team spirit and we all share a lot of laughs. It’s always very rewarding to create something and see all the hard work pay off when a hut is loaded up ready for delivery.
What have you learnt since working at Plankbridge and what do you most enjoy making?
Loads! I feel as though I could build a whole hut now. One of my favourite jobs is fitting the windows and the contrast of working on the different parts – the lead work, trims and sills. You’ve got a bit of everything. I also enjoy making beds – cutting the bed front down to size, making the slats, fitting the cupboard doors on the bed front and making the oak headboard.
Do you have a favourite colour from the Plankbridge colour card?
Guelder Rose for the interior – I like the cleanness of it against the oak.
Favourite place to eat locally?
Brewery Square in our local town of Dorchester has some great restaurant choices. I’m a big fan of Nando’s!
What do you do in your time off and weekends?
I love playing football, which involves training most evenings with matches every Saturday. I also play the guitar and find it relaxing to pick it up and play country music at the end of a working day.
- Would you like to meet more of our team? Head over to our dedicated blog page
