Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Anthony Corea

VETERANS WORKSHOP

Veterans forge axes, friendships at Honour Ranch in Ashcroft

Oct 28, 2024 | 7:30 PM

ASHCROFT, B.C. – The Veterans Artist Collective is a non-profit program focused on encouraging veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces to try new art forms. This past weekend, the group hosted eight veterans from across Canada for an axe-forging workshop at Honour Ranch in Ashcroft.

“We have a master blacksmith, Will Steed, who’s an ex-Royal Navy. He drives in from Edmonton with his mobile forge,” Veterans Artist Collective founder Christopher Hennebery told CFJC Today. “He sets up and we had eight veterans here this weekend who are all learning how to forge steel. Then at the end of it, they made a small axe to take camping.”

The workshops are held throughout the year not only to introduce a new art form but also take the edge off and bring a group from all over Canada together for some quality time.

“People come up here for the two and a half days. They’re in the cabins. We’re eating here all together,” continued Hennebery. “A lot of the veterans don’t know each other. They’re all kind of strangers, even though we’ve all served in the service together. By the end of the weekend though, we’ve made friends. We’ve had an opportunity to chat and just connect.”

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Veteran Scott Casey served in The Royal Canadian Regiment for ten years and has participated in workshops before. This one was a new experience for him but it’s always something he recommends to other veterans.

“This is my first time, doing axe forging. I’ve done some other stuff, like wine barrel furniture, but this was totally a one-off for me,” said Casey. “A really good experience and I recommend it to other vets to get involved in this kind of program.”

The artist collective will be hosting more of these workshops for veterans, with the next one available for applications in April 2025.