Adapting to Covid-19.

The world as we know it has changed considerably in the first part of 2020.

The Covid-19 Pandemic is still sweeping the world as I write this. Millions of people around the world are in isolation, practising “social distancing” as a way of reducing the spread of the virus and keeping each other safe. People are holed up at home, with time on their hands.

There is a positive side to this. Many people are taking up hobbies. They are baking food, sewing clothing, growing vegetables, and singing in on-line choirs. They are also taking up woodworking in their homes.

At our Heritage Woodcraft Centre, we have lost all of our face-to-face work. No public workshops, no private workshops, no school incursions, no festival gigs, no private tuition. Social isolation has put a hold on all of our normal activities.

So we are adapting to the momentous change in 3 ways, reaching out to all those people locked down in their homes:

1. We are creating free instructional videos, and uploading them to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/thejoyofwood .
2. We are selling a growing list of tools and wood on our Etsy shop. www.etsy.com/au/shop/thejoyofwoodstore . These relate to the skills and info in the YouTube videos. When people prchase from our on-line shop, the articles are sent to them by Post.
3. We are offering some on-line tuition sessions. We are still working out the technology on this one. It is a tricky as the internet is bogging down from so many people working and being on-line! Once we find the best platform and methodology, we hope to offer more of this.

When the pandemic eventually passes, we will have all been changed by this. Right now we don’t know for sure in what ways… Meanwhile, we are looking forward to re-engaging face-to-face with our customers and growing group of supporters who are happily carving away in their homes.

Stay safe, and keep carving.