ABOUT US
We are a family based upholstery training school near Wimborne in Dorset that has been running for 25 years.
As a team, we offer highly qualified and experienced guidance in all areas of upholstery.
We believe that the best way to teach a practical skill such as upholstery is by example - explaining and demonstrating the various techniques to each student individually whilst constantly repeating the various processes until the learner feels confident enough to try it for themselves. By working together in this way, we hope we can help people to be creative and achieve their vision, while also keeping the historical reference and integrity of the chair.
Our focus is on both traditional and modern techniques that are approved by the AMUSF:- ‘Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishings’.
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Upholstery is our passion and we get a huge amount of job satisfaction out of introducing students to the large variety of skills and techniques that the beautifully crafted upholstery projects require. There is a great feeling of satisfaction that surrounds the classes - whether tackling a large arm chair with deep buttoning or a small dining chair - there are no end of possibilities with shapes, designs, fabrics and colours. Also, the creativity and personality that each student brings to the classes is unique, which in turn contributes to a truly inspiring and exciting workspace.
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Cecily
PARTNER
As Managing Director of CUC, Cecily runs all of the business side of things and is your first port of call about everything to do with the classes!
Cecily has many years of teaching under her belt, she has been a qualified teacher for at least 20 years. Having completed a BA Hons in Fashion Textiles & Business, her teaching career includes being Head of Department in Schools and 6th Form Colleges in London whilst also teaching Product Design & Fashion A level. Having moved to Dorset, Cecily has been teaching at Creative Upholstery classes for several years now and during this time has completed an Advanced Diploma Certificate in Traditional and Modern Upholstery.
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Anna
PARTNER
Anna has been upholstering for over 25 years & attended several full-time City and Guilds courses working up to level 4, meantime working with upholsterers both affiliated with the college and outside.
Eventually having qualified, she started her own business, working with her husband on their own furniture designs and doing bespoke work for clients.
A few years later Anna set up the CUC training centre, teaching small groups of students in her own workshop. She was immediately caught up with the tremendous creative buzz that surrounded the classes and realised this was an inspiring and stimulating environment that expanded everyone’s creativity.
She then went on to do a Certificate of Further Education in order to build on her teaching techniques and now here we are, almost 25 years down the line and still loving every minute!
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Sally
TEACHING ASSISTANT
Sally has been with CUC for over 2 years during which time she has been learning the ropes by shadowing Cecily and Anna in the workshops teaching environment.
She has been working on her own projects and assisting Cecily in the upholstery classes as well as completing the Study Course in Traditional Upholstery and has shown that she has upholstery in her blood!
Sally is now an absolutely vital part of the team and her passion for the subject is infectious!
About the Classes
Term time classes on weekdays and Thursday evenings.