Forging a Friendship
In February 2009 the state of Victoria, Australia, experienced one of its worst ever disasters. Severe fires raged so fast that hundreds of people perished and many families were left without a parent or a child. Whole towns were destroyed leaving thousands homeless and the overwhelming grief caused in the affected communities was felt worldwide.
The Australian Blacksmiths Association has invited blacksmiths from around the world to participate in the 'Tree Project' and ‘grow a tree’ from their forges by producing gum leaves or gum nuts from stainless steel. The Australian Blacksmiths Association will forge the trunk and branches to which each leaf and nut will be attached. The Gum Tree has been chosen to represent re-growth as it is a survivor of fire and is able to re-generate from its blackened trunk.
Each year the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths hold an annual Prime Wardens weekend. This year the event was held at Herefordshire College of Technology’s Rural Crafts Centre, at the Holme Lacy Campus, on 9th May. As part of the agenda for the visit, students and members of the prestigious Company were invited to participate in making a nut or a leaf for the gum tree.
The tree is to be erected in one of the affected towns as a memorial to the loss and suffering, to the people who tirelessly defended others and to remember those who lost their lives. Many brave men and women of the emergency services battled to extinguish the flames.
The newly forged items have been sent for preparation ready in time for shipping to Australia. The Australian Blacksmiths Association is hoping for between 1,500 and 2,000 leaves to be collected by 30 June 2009 and they aim to assemble the tree in time for an unveiling on September 19th 2009.
