Planter making workshops

With a commission from the Beautifying Billesley group, and funding through Selly Oak NNS, we ran a six week project with a fabulous team of local citizens aged 50+ to build 21 fantastic wooden planters of various sizes, now dotted around locations in Billesley ward, with seasonal planting, bringing a splash of colour and joy to many residents for years to come.  

We love these woodworking projects which are about ’empower-tool-ing’ people with new skills, helping increase people’s social connections and boosting community spirit.

 

Teent stitch twitter (6)

Working towards the same goal in a project always brings a rallying spirit, and this team really bonded. In between workshops the majority kept in contact via a WhatsApp group and were involved in decision making about planter locations and sizes. It was a genuine team effort.

“I think it was a really beneficial scheme from the point of view of meeting different people, bringing the community together under the auspices of a very worthwhile project with a tangible outcome, i.e. Beautifying Billesley, building planters to place around the community."
Participant
“Feeling very confident in the fifth week and don't need much help from Andy. I'm quite confident just to get on with it, I'm really enjoying myself, I feel like a powerful woman."
Participant
"The benefits of this scheme are huge both on a mental health productivity point of view and from getting people out and meeting people but also on a societal level we actually produced something tangible as opposed to just producing things for productivity's sake."
Participant
“Fully enjoying myself. Never thought I was actually capable of wood work using power tools. Best tool was using staple gun very satisfying for the mind.”
Participant
“Loving this group making these planters! Using a hammer and nails is better than any therapy!”
Participant