A hand-carved oak memorial storytelling chair created in loving memory of Karen, a nursery teacher whose warmth and love of stories shaped a generation of children at St Aidan's Nursery — now a permanent gathering place in their garden.
The brief from St Aidan's was simple and heartfelt: a chair that felt like Karen. What emerged from the workshop was an ancient oak tree carved at the centre of the backrest, its branches spreading wide into a protective canopy over two sleeping woodland friends — a fox and a badger — symbolising rest, peace and the cycles of nature that Karen brought alive in her storytelling. Small carved birds sit in the branches. A bee, a butterfly and a ladybird move through the scene. Across the top banner, the words "Karen's Storytelling Chair" are carved in oak; along the footrest, a lyric from one of her favourite songs: "Never forget where you've come here from."
Gayle Farquhar, who led the St Aidan's team, described it simply: "Stunning forever storytelling chair in memory of a special person, friend and colleague. The chair is full of charm and character — my staff and our nursery children absolutely love it. The special animals and insects capture both ours and the children's imagination. The chair is more than we imagined and we are grateful that Suzanne and team listened to our ideas and personalised it to make Karen's Chair so special."
Chairs like Karen's are built to last — carved by hand, finished for the outdoors, and designed to be sat in, every day, by generations of children who will not know Karen's name but will hear stories in her chair. That feels right.
Key Features
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Ancient oak tree canopy carved into the backrest — sleeping fox and badger beneath the branches, birds, bee, butterfly and ladybird throughout
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Personalised name banner and inscription — carved lettering across the top and along the footrest
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Solid Welsh oak construction — built for permanent outdoor use in school gardens and nurseries
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Epifanes matt varnish, 3 coats — premium exterior finish for all-weather durability
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Two-seater or three-seater — choose above; generous proportions for an adult reader and a group of children gathered round
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Handmade in Mid Wales — every detail designed in close collaboration with the commissioning family or school
Dimensions
- Approximately 120 cm high × 140 cm wide × 60 cm deep
- Material: solid Welsh oak
- Seat: designed for an adult reader with children gathered alongside
Your Version
We build memorial storytelling chairs to honour teachers, beloved members of school communities, parents, grandparents — anyone whose story deserves a place to be told. The design always begins with a conversation: who was this person, what did they love, what do you want the children to feel when they sit in their chair? From there we sketch, carve and build something entirely personal.
Lead time is typically 4–5 weeks, though we can often accommodate tighter deadlines for school events and end-of-term dedications — just tell us when you need it. Prices include VAT. Schools can order via purchase order and pay on invoice. Get in touch to begin your design.
