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“Up here, where we live, there’s very little going for adults and children,” said Gemma Baker, sitting outside Markham Congregational Church on a cool May morning.
She spoke over the sounds of bangs and bashes that were coming from the hall just metres away and continued: “For adults with children in school or working…they need something as well.”
That’s why Gemma, 33, along with co-director Layton Jones, 34, started a weekly woodworking group under Salvaged Creations Wales, i-make, CIC.
Inside the hall, students equipped with hammers and nails were being led by Layton to make this week’s project – bird boxes.
There was laughter, chatter and a fair bit of banter. As Layton said: “It’s like extreme knit and natter.”
The woodworking classes are running for people aged 16 and above in Markham, Bargoed and Blackwood.
The craft is made from wood scraps and upcycled.
Each session costs around £3 and includes the two-hour class and craft materials. Students can take their creations home with them.
In Markham there’s a regular group who attend every Friday morning – all are women and parents and it provides a place not only to make photo frames or birdboxes, but also to speak about things and get ideas going for the community.
“I suppose that’s a by-product of coming together and doing woodwork,” said Gemma.
Getting their heads and hammers together has meant that the group has been able to sort out a collection from the ToyBox Project for children in the town who don’t have any toys.
There are also practical skills being learnt.
“A lot of people sort of sat behind a laptop,” said Gemma about modern working culture, but there is still a need for manual skills, even if that’s just DIY.
With skills learnt in these classes, Gemma added: “You can deal with things around the home.”
The classes are just one of a number of community engagement projects run by Gemma and Layton, who live in Argoed. Others include a youth group, plays days, and soon a skateboarding session for children in Markham.
The seed of I-Make started with Layton selling woodwork as a sole trader with a table to the side for people to have a go themselves.
“He’s amazing with woodwork,” said Gemma, “it’s a massive passion of his.”
Now, Layton takes on the practical side while Gemma manages the organisational aspects. There are also four dedicated volunteers.
It’s been four years since they registered as a CIC and now the plan is to keep growing and helping people of all ages with their wellbeing.
“We would like to kind of go down the path of trying to get people in who might be struggling with their mental health,” said Gemma, adding that it could be a good outlet for people and a way to help them look after themselves.
“A lot of parents don’t get time for themselves and to actually achieve something and take something home – that’s quite a unique thing,” she added.
Young people are also a group of people that Gemma and Layton want to attract to the classes.
“This might be an outlet for those who are struggling with the academics.”
Gemma added: “It’s something different.”
Woodworking groups are in Bargoed Library on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm and in Markham Congregational Church on Fridays from 10am to 12pm.
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