The Woodworks Project is a Bath-based charity that empowers people to find their purpose, through traditional woodworking and upholstery, within a safe and creative environment. Since 2014, the charity has been helping people facing challenges including mental health, learning disabilities, alcohol or drug abuse, or a major life trauma. The Woodworks Project’s team is dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive community, where everyone has a fair opportunity to learn skills for their future and to move forwards in their lives.
The people who come to our projects, work on making, renovating and upholstering furniture which will then be sold in our shop. Along the way they will learn all the woodworking and upholstery skills needed to produce work to a high standard from our experienced and expert tutors. Our workshops are completely unpressurised, there are no timescales or deadlines to work to and everyone is free to work and learn at a pace that is suitable to them individually.
Under the tutelage of highly experienced craftsmen, our service users work on projects including the refurbishment of donated items of furniture, making bespoke furniture for customers, upholstery and chair caning. Clients benefit through increased structure in their lives, increased self-confidence and self-worth through gaining new skills and a reduction in perceived isolation and dis-enfranchisement.
The completely pressure-free environment and the benefit which comes from working in a mixed ability group, helps clients to free themselves from their previous situations and empower themselves to take control of their lives.
For those with the potential to enter or re-enter the workplace, our workshop offers the chance to reintroduce structure into previously chaotic lives and an opportunity to spend time in a well-equipped and realistic work environment. Through working on a product which will be offered for sale through our shop or has been commissioned by a customer, our clients are thereby provided with genuine work experience whilst freed from the pressures of commercial deadlines.
