Sara’s Commission

These paintings were commissioned by JD Wetherspoon in 2026, depicting the ancient woodland’s history in producing timber for ship building on the south coast.

Whiteley Shopping Centre built on what was farmland and coppices. More than 300 trees planted in its open spaces connect it with the copses and coppices in the surrounding landscape, which have long been managed for timber and firewood. Sawpit Copse, just north of this JD Wetherspoon pub incorporates the once separate Round Copse. To the South is Round Coppice, ‘16 acres of ancient woodland’, now a site of importance for nature conservation (SINC).