A CARPENTER from Reading has been auctioning hand crafted ornaments made from wood to raise money for the maternity unit at the Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH).

Mark Elmore from Tilehurst works as a carpenter and window fitter but has been furloughed from work because of the coronavirus.

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His wife, Elizabeth Elmore-Elkin, said he is “not one to sit around” and would usually visit the gym four to five times a week and is now looking for something else to do.

He has started making ornaments from wood the couple finds when walking their dog, trying to recycle wood where he can.

Items include many garden ornaments such as bird boxes and bug houses but also candle holders.

Each item is posted on the Facebook group, Tilehurst Gossip Girls, every day at around 12pm where people can then bid for them until around 9pm.

Bidding starts at £5 which covers the cost of tools and supplies to make the products and anything raised over this amount will go to the maternity unit at the RBH where their niece is working as a third-year student midwife.

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Elizabeth said people have even started requesting various items and the project has raised around £180 so far.

The couple said they are selling the items locally so people can collect from their driveway when taking their daily exercise.