All our courses are FREE to Wounded Injured and Sick (WIS) veterans, for other veterans, a 10% discount is available. To apply for any of this training, or to find out more, simply e-mail us at [email protected] or call the workshop on 07475-934524.
Beginners’ Introduction to Bookbinding Sessions – As part of the Phoenix Centre’s Rolling Recovery Programme (RRP) at Tedworth House, Tidworth, we have provided monthly introductory bookbinding lessons available to those who are participating in the programme. These last under two hours and are designed to give WIS veterans a taste of the basic skills and techniques we use, and an introduction to the tools and materials required for bookbinding. Every student goes away with a high-quality notebook that they will have made themselves. These sessions are great fun and very therapeutic, aiding both concentration and confidence.
In addition to the introduction courses at Tedworth House, introduction courses are also available at:
- The Royal Maritime Club – Portsmouth – through Veterans Outreach Support (VOS). Contact Wendy Pearson [email protected]
- Veterans Tribe Scotland (VTS): Contact Gerry McGregor for more details on: [email protected]
- H4H Scotland Students can contact Emma Weir at: [email protected]
Training Courses – We run a progressive series of courses in bookbinding that cater for the absolute beginner and cover all the skills needed to achieve a Level 3 City & Guilds certificate in bookbinding (for a list of the available courses, see our course list below.) Courses are normally held in our own classroom at the Daffodil Barn, and are normally run as full-time 3-day or 5-day course, however, during the Covid-19 pandemic many courses had to be cancelled and on-line tutorials via Zoom were developed and have proved very successful. See the table of courses below. In addition we have developed some one-day workshops to enable people undertake parts of the C&G courses in smaller chunks.
City & Guilds Awards – There is no requirement to apply for City & Guilds awards, but our members are automatically registered, and application for these nationally recognised qualifications is strongly encouraged. Courses and awards are available at Level 1, 2 and 3, and each course covers the syllabus of one City & Guilds “Unit”. By completing a Unit, a WIS member can achieve a single craft Award. For example, the successful completion of the Beginners’ Course (Unit 118) qualifies for a City & Guilds Award.
WIS members who wish to apply for a Certificate in Bookbinding simply need to complete the two Units for each Level and also one of our Craft Design courses. Awards and Qualifications are graded: at Pass, Merit and Distinction.
COURSES AT THE DAFFODIL BARN (WOODBOROUGH), TEDWORTH HOUSE (TIDWORTH), ROYAL MARITIME CLUB (PORTSMOUTH) (VOS) AND ON-LINE ZOOM COURSES – 2026
| May 2026 | ||
| 5-6 May (Tue-Wed) & 12-14 May (Tue-Thu) | C&G Level 1 – Unit 119 (Photograph Albums & Slipcase) (Online Zoom – Any Student). Cost: £20 for materials (for further details contact Wendy at [email protected]). For those with a little bookbinding experience, this course is the second unit necessary for the Level 1 C&G certificate in Bookbinding, where you will learn how to make two different types of photograph album, one with folded guards, and one with stiff boards, and a lined cloth slipcase. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 6-8 May (Wed-Fri) | Level 3 Diploma Module – S&E I (Lift-off Lid, Phase Box, Portfolio). This is the first of the three Storage and Enclosure (S&E) sessions in which students will learn how to make different forms of boxes including a Lift-off Lid Box, Artist Portfolio and a Phase Box. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 13-14 May (Wed-Thu) | Level 3 Diploma Module – Paper Repairs. When rebinding old books it will often be necessary to repair sections, tears and gaps. During this two-day course Christian will teach you several methods of paper repair and infill using both western laid papers and Japanese tissues. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 14 May (Thu) (1100-1300) | BBV Introduction to Bookbinding Session with VOS Portsmouth. This short session is for Veterans’ Outreach Support (VOS) sessions in Portsmouth only. Students will have the opportunity to learn some basic bookbinding techniques and make a small notebook. Contact: Lauren Elliott at [email protected]. | Tedworth House |
| 18-22 May (Mon-Fri) | Level 3 Module – Fine Binding (Laced-on-Boards) involves the traditional method of attaching the boards to the sewing cords or tapes and drawing the leather over the spine to cover. You will learn to sew handsewn silk headbands, lace boards onto sewing tapes/cords, cover a book in full leather by drawing it on, form headcaps, trim and put endpapers down. Students should have completed the equivalent of a Level 2 Bookbinding Unit. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 19 May (Tue) (1030-1230) | BBV Introduction to Bookbinding Session at Tedworth House. This short session is for RRP Students at Tedworth House only. Students will have the opportunity to learn some basic bookbinding techniques and make a small notebook. | Tedworth House |
| June 2026 | ||
| 9-10 Jun (Tue-Wed) | Level 3 Module – Cloth Re-back. One of the most useful skills to learn if you are trying to make a living from bookbinding, this two-day course covers methods of repair and how to reback cloth hardback bindings. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 16-18 Jun (Tue-Thu) | Level 3 Module – Storage and Enclosures (S&E) II (Cloth Drop-Back Box & Brass Post Folder). This session is the second instalment in the Storage & Enclosures section of the Level 3 curriculum, and builds on the knowledge of S&E I. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 30 Jun (Tue) (1030-1230) | BBV Introduction to Bookbinding Session at Tedworth House. This short session is for RRP Students at Tedworth House only. Students will have the opportunity to learn some basic bookbinding techniques and make a small notebook. | Tedworth House |
| July 2026 | ||
| 7-10 Jul (Tue-Fri) | Level 3 Module – Storage and Enclosures III. This box is the final instalment in the Storage & Enclosures section of the Level 3 curriculum, and builds on the knowledge of S&E II. The more luxurious quarter leather rounded spine dropback box is suitable for the storage of fine leather bindings and design bindings. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 27-31 Jul (Mon-Fri) | C&G Level 1 – Unit 118 (Beginners Bookbinding). Cost: £20 for materials (for further details contact Wendy at [email protected]). For complete beginners, this is the first unit in the Level 1 C&G certificate in Bookbinding, where you will gain a core knowledge of the basic skills and make single and multi-section bindings in quarter, half and full cloth. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 28 Jul (Tue) (1030-1230) | BBV Introduction to Bookbinding Session at Tedworth House. This short session is for RRP Students at Tedworth House only. Students will have the opportunity to learn some basic bookbinding techniques and make a small notebook. | Tedworth House |
| August 2026 | ||
| 3-7 Aug (Mon-Fri) | C&G Level 2 Unit 220 – Leather Case Binding (Includes Tool Sharpening). Cost: £20 for materials (contact Wendy for further details at [email protected]). Using vegetable leather from Harmatan or Hewit’s you will learn how to make casebound leather books in quarter and half leather, how to pare leather and sharpen knives. Some bookbinding experience is necessary. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 4 Aug (Tue) (1030-1230) | BBV Introduction to Bookbinding Session at Tedworth House. This short session is for RRP Students at Tedworth House only. Students will have the opportunity to learn some basic bookbinding techniques and make a small notebook. | Tedworth House |
| September 2026 | ||
| 10 Sep (Thu) | C&G Level 3 Module – Edge Decoration. Edges are another surface for the binder’s creativity to shine but they are often overlooked. They act as an important protective barrier as well as being a key design element of a fine binding. Kate will show you how to achieve perfectly gloss smooth edges and work through a variety of finishes including sprinkling, sponging, granite, marbling, paste, gauffering and gold leaf. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 14-19 Sep (Mon-Fri) | C&G Level 1 – Unit 119 (Photograph Albums & Slipcase). Cost: £20 for materials (for further details contact Wendy at [email protected]). For those with a little bookbinding experience, this course is the second unit necessary for the Level 1 C&G certificate in Bookbinding, where you will learn how to make two different types of photograph album, one with folded guards, and one with stiff boards, and a lined cloth slipcase. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 22 Sep (Tue) (1030-1230) | BBV Introduction to Bookbinding Session at Tedworth House. This short session is for RRP Students at Tedworth House only. Students will have the opportunity to learn some basic bookbinding techniques and make a small notebook. | Tedworth House |
| 30 Sep – 3 Oct (Wed-Sat) | C&G Level 3 Module – Leather Reback. One of the most useful skills to learn if you are trying to make a living from bookbinding, this three-day course covers methods of repair and how to reback leather hardback bindings. | The Barn Woodborough |
| October 2026 | ||
| 6-7 Oct (Tue-Wed) & 13-15 Oct (Tue-Thu) | C&G Level 1 – Unit 119 (Photograph Albums & Slipcase) (Online Zoom Any Student). Cost: £20 for materials (for further details contact Wendy at [email protected]). For those with a little bookbinding experience, this course is the second unit necessary for the Level 1 C&G certificate in Bookbinding, where you will learn how to make two different types of photograph album, one with folded guards, and one with stiff boards, and a lined cloth slipcase. | On Line Course |
| 19-23 Oct (Mon-Fri) | C&G Level 1 – Unit 118 (Beginners Bookbinding). Cost: £20 for materials (for further details contact Wendy at [email protected]). For complete beginners, this is the first unit in the Level 1 C&G certificate in Bookbinding, where you will gain a core knowledge of the basic skills and make single and multi-section bindings in quarter, half and full cloth. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 26 Oct, 2 Nov & 9 Nov (2pm – 5pm) | C&G Level 1 Two-day Workshops. Parts 1, 2 and 3. (ONLINE ZOOM Sessions for BLESMA Students only). Further details available from Wendy at [email protected]. | The Barn Woodborough |
| November 2026 | ||
| 3-5 Nov (Tue-Thu) | C&G Level 2 Unit 201/202 (Design & Sampling Course). This course is for those who would like to achieve a certificate in Level 1 or 2 Bookbinding and who have no previous arts experience. You will put together a portfolio of samples relating to bookbinding, its materials and learn about colour and design. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 10-12 Nov (Tue-Thu) | C&G Level 3 Module (Library & Periodical Bindings). Learn durable library-style bindings with split boards, hollow spine, cloth-jointed endpapers and reinforced corners. Also covers binding magazines and periodicals into volumes using sewn and oversewn structures. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 16 Nov (Mon) (2pm – 5pm) | C&G Level 1 Two-day Workshops. Part 2 and 3. (ONLINE ZOOM Sessions for BLESMA Students only). Further details available from Wendy at [email protected]. | On Line Course |
| 16-20 Nov (Mon-Fri) | C&G Level 2 – Unit 221 (Alternative & Historical Bindings). Cost: £20 for materials (for further details contact Wendy at [email protected]). This course is the second unit in the Level 2 C&G certificate in Bookbinding. You will learn how to make a range of non-adhesive bindings, including a Coptic binding. For those with a little bookbinding experience. | The Barn Woodborough |
| 24-27 Nov (Tue-Fri) | C&G Level 3 Module (Islamic Binding). Details to follow. | The Barn Woodborough |