Making things with your hands is both therapeutic and a means to making a living, our aim is to facilitate both. However, everything we have is second hand or donated and either isn't the best quality or frequently breaks, making it very difficult to provide lessons or workshops. We would like funds to purchase new equipment for the workshop and pay for a programme of events to be coordinated for the benefit of the local community.

What we'll deliver:

• Fit-out the workshop (wood store, project storage, work benches)
• Purchase bench, power and hand tools for small wood workshop
• Pay for coordinator and for teachers to deliver a programme of courses and events

Why it's a great idea:

People love the workshop, but the tools often break and they are not very good. Our members often request courses and workshop to support learning and making, but currently the workshop coordinator doesn't have the time to coordinate a program of courses and events as well as the running of the workshop as an open access space. We get volunteers offering to work with us, but again we have no paid coordinator to coordinate them. Courses will give people confidence to get involved and see a project through, they will also allow us to target specific groups in the community in addition to local old gents, such as ex offenders, young unemployed, and socially isolated individuals or those recovering from illness. A more professional workshop will allow funds to come in from commercial members, to help subside a a more socially focused program.

Steps to get it done:

• Fit out the workshop
• Set up and deliver a program of events