ORCHARD BARN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE (OBEE) COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Orchard Barn Environmental Education Centre (OBee) CIC is a volunteer-run social enterprise specializing in practical courses in heritage building, natural, greenwood, and rural skills. The center focuses on environmental education using low-tech and traditional construction projects to bring people together. They offer courses on Timber Framing, Restoration Skills, Wattle and Daub, and Lime, including IHBC Recognised CPD. The project has involved over 3,000 volunteers and trainees since 2007, contributing to the renovation of a 17th-century timber frame barn and the reinstatement of a derelict timber-framed Suffolk Long House. The center aims to keep old skills alive and relevant, contributing to the economic development of the rural Suffolk area by attracting participants from far and wide. They also offer volunteer opportunities in green woodworking, gardening, and woodland work.