Hi, my name is Thomas Tunnard and I am a 21 year old blacksmith in Bedfordshire UK.

I have been doing blacksmithing since the age of around 16 when I made my first ever forge out of an old bucket and using a hair dryer as a forge blower. After I tried blacksmithing for the first time I was hooked and I instantly knew it is what I wanted to do for work. My parents, for a birthday present, bought me a day experience at a forge where you were taught how to forge a simple toasting fork and I had a great time!

Following on from this, I decided that I wanted to do a college course in blacksmithing and metal working at Plumpton college, near Brighton in the lovely south downs. The college course wasn’t just blacksmithing, it also incorporated other subjects such as welding, jewellery, repousse, and business. I had done welding before on the farm fixing tractors etc. but jewellery and repoussé were entirely new to me and they quickly became new passions of mine. After 2 years at college I left with a triple Distinction and a level 3 diploma in Blacksmithing and metal working.

After college I started working at a welding and fabrication firm where I was a saw operator, forklift and telehandler driver, and fettler. This was a good job overall but after some time at this company it became clear to me that I wanted to be running my own business, doing something that I really enjoyed so after 9 months working there I decided to leave to build my own workshop on the family farm.