CPD

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CLASSES

  • Make friends in the industry

  • Refine Skills

  • Skills Practice

  • Workshop Time

  • Share Ideas

  • Swap Knowledge

  • Refine Skills

  • Meet like minded professionals

  • Fine Tuning

  • Learn from each other

  • Top Tips

“To become the best I can be I need CPD!”

RAY CLARKE

The Classes For Professionals.

Our Continuing professional Development (CPD) workshops are a great way for professional Upholsterers or teachers to build skills, share ideas and spend time with others in the upholstery trade.

These are relaxed hands on sessions where you can refine techniques, try new approaches and get support with tricky jobs- all in a friendly workshop environment with like minded people. It is also a chance to connect with friends in the industry, swap knowledge and feel part of a wider upholstery community. Perfect for anyone who wants to keep learning, stay inspired and enjoy some dedicated time in the workshop with fellow upholsterers.

CPD Tutor Mr. Gareth Rees

Class Times

2 x Days of CPD- Friday & Saturday

Friday: 9.30am-5.30pm - 6pm local pub for a pint!? Cash only….

Saturday: 9:30- 4.30pm

Snacks, Tea and Coffee included - Please bring a packed lunch & a bottle of water.

Course Fees

TOTAL 2 x Day Course = £205 paid in advance please

Our Upholstery Workshop Location

The Creative Upholstery Classes Workshop is set in the beautiful Dorset countryside just outside the market town of Wimborne Minster. It is in a converted farm building on the National Trust - Kingston Lacy Estate and provides a perfect setting for traditional crafts.

Tools

Please bring your own specialised tools if you can although we do have pretty much everything here that you are welcome to borrow(No overlocker)

Project & Materials

Please bring your own project and materials if you can- however- All materials that you’ll need such as stuffings, springs, hessians, twines, webbings etc are available to buy here and sold at trade price. Anything specific- please let me know and I can order it in for you or advise accordingly.

“When you are in a space with folk who genuinely love what they do and are eager to learn, there is an incredibly positive vibe. Led by the true legend that is Mr Gareth Rees in the beautiful surroundings of Cowgrove and beautiful workspace of Cecily Benson who organised this very special two days. I learnt so much, especially some of the things that I knew were big weaknesses, which is kind of the whole point.”

Robbie Richardson

Meet the CPD Team

  • Gareth Rees

    HEAD TUTOR

    Examination/Journeyman Secretary @ Guild of Traditional Upholsterers

    Training Director @ The AMUSF

    Tutor @ Graft_Studios IOW

    Gareth Rees is a highly experienced upholsterer with nearly 30 years in the trade, trained across workshops in England and Wales. He has worked on restoration projects for major organisations and ran a successful upholstery business serving high-end clients.

    From 2017–2025, he was Director and lead tutor at the British School of Upholstered Furniture, teaching professional diploma courses and mentoring many successful upholsterers. He also lectures internationally on upholstery and furniture history.

    Gareth holds senior roles in national upholstery organisations, helping set UK training standards. He was awarded the Master Upholders Certificate in 2023 and recognised as a leading educator in the field.

    He now focuses mainly on teaching while continuing a small number of specialist commissions.

  • Cecily Benson

    WHO IS YOUR HOST!?

    Upholsterer . Tutor . Director of CUC - Family Business : A Upholstery Teaching School in Dorset - Creative Upholstery Classes . Host of Continuing Professional Development classes with Gareth Rees . Contributor to the Festival of Upholstery 2025 & 2026

    Most importantly- Organiser of the CPD and SNACKS :)

    Cecily Benson is an upholsterer, tutor, and director of Creative Upholstery Classes, a long-established family-run upholstery school based in Dorset.

    Having taken over the running of the school from her mother, Anna Eckford, Cecily now leads a teaching programme with over 80 students attending weekly. With more than 25 years of history, Creative Upholstery Classes has supported both leisure learners and those progressing through AMUSF qualifications, with many former students going on to establish successful upholstery businesses of their own.

    Alongside teaching full-time, Cecily continues to undertake private commissions, maintaining an active connection to workshop practice.

    Cecily is the organiser and host of the CPD masterclass programme, delivered in collaboration with Gareth Rees. The programme is designed to provide professional upholsterers with high-quality, focused training, while also creating space for shared knowledge, discussion, and connection within the trade.

“I had a wonderful time recently training with Cecily. Her school has such a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, it was great to learn new skills whilst connecting with others who share a passion for upholstery. Looking forward to coming back!”

Emmaline Mcconnell Upholstery

Would you like to join in?!

For updates on our regular CPD classes, dates and information, please fill in the form below and you will receive an email from Cecily as soon as possible to confirm your interest in getting involved

“I got a huge amount out of these two days, both from one to one teaching from Gareth, but also from learning through what else was going on in the room”

Catherine- IVY upholstery