Bernie
Woodworking Instructor & Furniture Designer
With over 30 years of experience in furniture-making and restoration, Bernie brings craftsmanship, creativity, and care to his role at S4E. For the past three years, he has shared his expertise through hands-on woodworking classes, where participants create unique pieces that often find new homes through online sales. Before joining S4E, Bernie ran his own successful furniture business — even earning a feature in Home Beautiful magazine — and has spent the last decade teaching his skills to disadvantaged youth and community groups. Known for his generosity and down-to-earth nature, Bernie is passionate about helping others discover confidence, independence, and purpose through the joy of making.
Bernie has been a valued member of Support for Employment for the past three years, sharing his 30 years of furniture-making expertise. He specializes in teaching woodworking and furniture restoration, and the pieces created often find a new home through online sales. Before joining us, Bernie ran his own successful furniture business, even earning a feature in Home Beautiful magazine. For the past decade, he's been dedicated to teaching these skills to disadvantaged youth and community groups. And of course, he’s known around here as just a genuinely nice bloke who’s always ready to lend a hand.
Bernie’s Vision
Bernie’s vision for S4E is to shape a world where hands-on craftsmanship and creativity empower people of all backgrounds. He believes that through teaching furniture-building skills, he’s not just crafting furniture—he’s helping craft confidence, independence, and a sense of purpose. His goal is to create a community where everyone can discover the joy of making something with their own hands and see the value they can bring into the world.
