The story starts in 1993 when I purchased the Graduate Student wood turning lathe for my friend, mentor and business partner Tom Newman on his retirement.  Go forward to 2016, Tom is now 90 and is unable to use the lathe.  Me, just a young 74!!  I had just given up beekeeping after 15 years, and also just retired from my engineering business.  One afternoon we were chewing the fat with a couple of his home brews, he turned to me and says, “Rog, I want you to have the lathe”, I was gobsmacked!  He had cleared it with his two children and I donated £200.00 to his favourite charity, which was (Hospice in the Weald).  We still support this charity and other charities by donating a percentage of all sales to them.  

Tom always said that the lathe “saved his life” after his dear wife, Wendy, passed away shortly after his retirement.  I now know why.  What a marvellous hobby and a way to raise charitable monies.