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“My brain is all over the place, but when I’m doing carpentry, it’s laser focus,” said Paul Pollard, when Caerphilly Observer met him at his Bedwas workshop.

Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and bipolar, by his own admission Paul’s life can be fast-moving and at times overwhelming.

The 48-year-old, originally from London, said he spent years “bouncing” from job to job, never knowing quite what he wanted to do – until he found carpentry, or maybe carpentry found him?

Having moved to America in his 20s with stints in Wisconsin’s Milwaukee, and Phoenix Arizona, it was there he discovered a talent for woodwork.

He said: “In America, everything is built out of wood, but I had to go back to school for a general education diploma.

“I then did a four-year carpentry apprenticeship and I fell in love with it.”

After doing commercial and industrial work and setting up his own business over there, Paul took an interest in wood crafting – with the creativity it provided proving beneficial to his mental health.

Having moved back to the UK and taking on a workshop in Cardiff, Paul’s health took a turn for the worst, but he’s now back on his feet in Bedwas with his Splintered Finger workshop.

He explained: “As soon as I get here and turn on the lights, I can function. I want to grow my business and I’d love to have 10,000 sq ft work shop with 15 employees. I would love to employ people like me because we get overlooked.

“I’ve got several friends who struggle to get work because employers don’t understand.”

When Caerphilly Observer visited, Paul was busy restoring church pews for the White Rose Community Centre in New Tredegar and creating tea trays and coasters out of old organ keys.

He’s also been making creations out of old whisky and wine barrels and he often sells his wares at craft fairs.

Perhaps the most important creation though is his relationship with Wales.

“Being a London boy and living in the Valleys, I absolutely adore the community and feel I’ve been taken in by them,” he said.

Paul was able to secure his premises on Bedwas House Industrial Estate with support from the Development Bank of Wales and was quick to mention its investment executive Chris Stork.

He said: “He was fantastic and integral to getting this place up and running because he believed in me. He was just so helpful. He took me through my application and he really was in my corner.

Paul can be contacted for a wide variety of carpentry, including restorations and upcycling, at Splintered Finger by calling 07342 782119 or emailing contact@splinteredfinger.com.