Gareth Harding joined the 44-week Designer Maker course in 2017 with no previous woodworking experience — but a determination to learn and a strong eye for design. He was one of our most local students, living just a few miles down the road in Windermere, and quickly stood out for the quality of his work, his thoughtful approach to process, and his rapid development of high-level technical skills.

By the end of the course, Gareth had produced three fully self-designed furniture pieces — a butcher’s block, a lounge chair, and a media unit — each pushing his new-found skills further and showcasing a design sensibility that combined robustness with refinement. His lounge chair, in particular, was a standout piece, combining advanced joinery, shaping, and material selection to create something elegant, resolved, and uniquely his.

Following his graduation, Gareth set up his own business, producing high-quality bespoke pieces from his home workshop and exhibiting at local events. In 2022, he returned to Waters & Acland — this time not as a student, but as the driving force behind our online school.

As our online tutor and digital lead, Gareth now runs all aspects of our growing online furniture making course, guiding members from around the world through their woodworking journeys. He also manages our online community and social channels, sharing student progress, and helping spread our ethos of craft-led, design-conscious furniture making far beyond the walls of our Lake District workshop.