Meet Robbie – Joiner, furniture maker and all-round Plankbridge problem solver
How did you come to join Plankbridge?
I’ve been involved since the early days. I used to work at a local furniture-making workshop which Plankbridge used to subcontract its single doors, and my colleague and I both ended leaving to work full-time at Plankbridge. As a child growing up in Hull I loved playing with wood and went on to do a joinery course when I left school. For the past 24 years I’ve lived in Dorset, working in a diverse range of jobs, from roof truss manufacture to fine furniture and now, of course, Plankbridge.
What does your role involve at Plankbridge?
My main task is to produce the stable doors using English oak, and I also back up the hutmakers with my timber and metalwork skills. I’m often called upon to line the internal hut walls, make furniture from reclaimed timbers and find solutions to problems when I’mneeded. My party trick, however, is identifying different woods from around the world – it never fails to impress!
A career highlight so far?
The Plankbridge showroom was a key project for me – I did the steelwork and the timber walls to create the shepherd’s hut displays that visitors see when they visit the workshop. I’m also proud to have developed the use of reclaimed materials as part of the Plankbridge offering.
How do you relax at the weekend?
Long walks, exploring new places and metal detecting. I like to think I’m a bit of an inventor on the side, too.
What’s your favourite place to eat out in Dorset?
The Square & Compass in Worth Matravers. They only serve Cornish pasties, but it’s an amazing pub in a wonderful location with the added attraction of lots of history. It’s like a museum, with industrial archaeology and geology on display.
What do you like most about working for Plankbridge?
Everything! The work, the people, and the fact that I’m able to self-manage most of the time. Above all I feel supported and love the family feel of the business.
