Page 8 - Oundle Life July 2021

Extraordinary people...
BARNEY
BROADBENT
Shaping life on the airfield
As well as being blessed with some of the most beautiful countryside, we also have more than our fair share of extraordinary people. Barney Broadbent and his wife Wanna live hand in hand with nature on Polebrook Airfield.
humour or menace, hence vultures, the bull, ravens... or sometimes just from an interesting piece of wood or agricultural scrap metal.
Favourite feature of your workshop? No single item is favourite, but I do have an ex-
Have you always lived locally? I’ve lived here for last 45 years and married Wanna over 40 years ago.
My swan song was designing the Tap and Kitchen in Oundle
military bench drill which was given to me about 1950 and I still use it all the time. I’m currently frustrated because so much of my equipment is old and I’m always tripping over cables!
Slowly I’m updating with Dewalt battery tools to make life easier.
Come to think of it, I really do like my chest of woodcarving tools which has been a slow process of building up.
How long have you been creating
your sculptures? I’ve been making sculptures, and other things all my
life (I’m 78) but only seriously since I
retired 15 years ago. My professional
life was spent designing restaurants
all over the world. My swan song was designing the Tap and Kitchen in Oundle for which I also made some sculptures including the entrance arch.
Where do you get your ideas from? Ideas come from a love of character with a dash of
Tell us more... I come from Lincolnshire from an unconventional, artistic family and began life in a pacifist farming community.
My sister has written books and my brother Jim is an actor.
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