The Team

Westwind Oak is fortunate to have a highly dedicated team, of very skilled craftsmen who see work not just as a job, but as a lifestyle. This is a very important factor in our business and we try to make work as enjoyable and fun as possible.

Rupert Newman, who is the director of Westwind Oak, heads the team and has been building oak frames for the last 16 years. His main area of responsibility lies in the design department and liasing with clients, but he likes to see himself as one of the boys and tries to get out on site as much as possible.

Jon Lewis, the company fire-starter, is the foreman and deals with the organisation of the workforce, and health and safety matters. He is extremely skilled with the chisel and fishing rod, although he has a lot more success with the former than the latter.

Adrian 'Adg' Sharp is a lead carpenter and also an encyclopedia on natural history. His work and hobby are both connected with green woodworking, and there is nothing he likes to do better in his spare time than a bit of chair bodging in the woods.

Jude 'Ice' Green, is a carpenter and trainee timber framer. He has a reputation for being a dynamo of activity at work, and the company petrol head.

Ashley 'Hell-man' Pond, started his apprenticeship in the summer of 2007 and is already an expert peg and tea maker. His hobbies include rugby and making chicken mayo sandwiches.

Jan ‘the man’ Cloes, joined Westwind Oak in January 2005. Jan qualified as a master carpenter in Germany and is now training as a structural timber framer with us. Jan's hobbies include stalking Paul Weller, exploring all English Pubs and improving his colleagues' English.

Aron Markey, has been with Westwind since 2001, apart from a spell exploring the wilds of Canada. With a wicked laugh and razor sharp wit he is an intrinsic part of the team.

Kasper Ling, has spent many years working in cabinet making and general carpentry and was at college with Jude. He is an expert in the martial art of Wing Chun, so should be handled with care.

James Van Gowler or 'Growler' as he is now known as, has recently joined the team. As a champion downhill mountain biker and keen fisherman James is an aspiring road biking sea angler (!).

James Nicholson, originally joined as an apprentice carpenter and spent two years learning his trade in the workshop. After a six month break James rejoined the company in January 2008 as a Junior Designer utilising both his experience in wood design and his IT knowledge. This also makes him our resident IT guru.

Lyndsay Newman has worked for Westwind for many years, with many and various duties. She now divides her time between the office, freelance gardening and looking after her hens and allotment.

Anne Tarren has been with Westwind for over ten years now and is our resident number cruncher, responsible for such vital stuff as making sure we all get paid.  When not crunching Anne can be found at the gym, or seeing the world from her trusty camper van!

Kirstie Brown joined Westwind in January 2008 with the official title of organiser, nagger and office tea maker.Outside of Westwind she can be found dressed in a feather boa and lots of glitter with Bristol band Doreen Doreen.