Chichester College cabinet makers named winners

The two cabinet makers won gold and silver in a skills show at a national competition. 18 year old Chris Clarke from the Falkland Islands, and 18 year old Tom Pennicott, from Bosham, took the top places in the cabinet making category of the competition, which was held at the recent Skills Show at the NEC Birmingham. They were tasked with building bedside tables in oak to a specific design and saw off competition from some of the country’s best young cabinet makers to finish first and second.

Chris, who claimed gold, said: “I’m very happy, shocked and surprised. I wasn’t expecting to get a medal, let alone gold!”

Christian Notley MBE, lecturer at Chichester College and training manager for WorldSkillsUK cabinet making, said: “They had 19 hours, over three days, to build their units while also dealing with thousands of schoolchildren pouring through the Skills Show and watching them.

Chris and Tom now have a chance to follow in the footsteps of former Chichester College students Edward Harringman and George Callow, who both won gold for the UK at WorldSkills in 2015 and 2013 respectively.

They will be invited back to next year’s skills final.

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