Owen Bushell | Managing Director
Owen volunteered on steam railways from teenage years, driving steam locomotives. This led to a career working for Network Rail, operating some the last mechanical signal boxes in the UK. During time spent living in Austria he undertook a shingle making (wooden roof tile) manufacturing apprenticeship and on returning to the UK founded his building conservation and craft business, R.G. Bushell, which now specialises in Traditional Signwriting, with shingle making now brought into the fold at the Bucket Mill.
Fellow of the Society for the Protection Ancient Buildings & Churchill Fellow. | @rgbushell
Sheena Cooper
Sheena trained as a teacher, firstly in her native Lanarkshire, followed by time in Manchester, Angus and Renfrewshire before her appointment to Aboyne Academy as Rector in 1983 until retirement in 1999. Since living in the North East of Scotland, Sheena’s interests have lain in the outdoors, furniture making and learning other artisan crafts.
Emma Ewan
Emma grew up in the neighbouring village of Strachan. After completing studies at Glasgow School of Art she spent several years in arts programming before moving into work with historic houses and collections. She has helped to establish various startups and supported entrepreneurs to organise and optimise their businesses. In 2021, Emma retrained in furniture making and restoration and is developing a traditional upholstery workshop.
Sian Loftus
Sian has worked in the heritage sector for over 25 years. This included 14 years managing a community led heritage trust within Scotland’s largest conservation charity, working as a freelance heritage consultant and more recently leading on regeneration projects in local government. Alongside a deep understanding of building conservation and the sector in Scotland she enjoys learning new craft skills which she puts into practice repairing and maintaining at her home in the Forest of Birse.
Jack Nesbit
Jack grew up on a small farm near Aboyne before studying conservation in Inverness. At the same time, he began volunteering with the Strathspey Railway which led to completing a modern apprenticeship in engineering and fabrication in Aviemore works. Jack returned to his family farm in 2020 to establish a traditional metalworking business with his wife Sarah, applying expanding skills in blacksmithing to a diverse array of projects including tool making and the conservation of heritage ironwork.
@jacknesbitblacksmith