Contact and Location
Our great workshop is on the ground floor of Todmorden College, Burnley Road. It’s right next door to Aldi. You can go in the main entrance and ask for us at reception, or go down the side alley next to Aldi and look for the Makery Workshop sign.
Our email is todmordenmakery @ gmail.com
The following groups were involved in the setting up of the Makery Workshop.
Scavenger Labs: fun workshops with recycled and reclaimed electronic recycled computers https://scavengerlabs.org/
Tech Tastic: Refurbishing laptop computers for distribution to household that need them https://techtastic.org.uk/about-us
Incredible Edible: Incredible volunteer organisation greening up the community – https://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/
Todmorden Repair Cafe: Repairing things that might other wise be thrown in the bin. It’s good for us and good for the planet – https://scavengerlabs.org/tags/repair-cafe/
Todmorden Tool Library: The average drill is used for 45 minutes a year. Why buy when you can borrow for free? The Tool Library has a large range of tools to make your next DIY or Gardening project easier. Let’s create a community of fixers!
The Makery has a focus on making/fixing that is good for the planet and which builds community spirit. Anything we can do to avoid things going into landfill has to be a good thing. But this project is more than just about building technical fixing skills. There is already great fixing and making knowledge in our community and the Makery help nurture that and lets people find each other.
Here are some examples on how this can be put into practice.
- Fast Fashion has a huge negative environmental impact but Upcycling textile materials is fun and creative.
- Learning some basic repair skills is something that everyone can do and can make you feel more empowered around the challenges of living in a consumerist society
- Making Art via recycling materials is a great motivator and a really accessible way to interest people in repairing and fixing activities
Quotes from Founding Members
From Mary Clear- Incredible Edible
the planet is groaning under the weight of stuff , stuff we chuck out and stuff we feel we need. lets help each other Grow skills , reuse and repurpose the zilliions of tons of good things discarded .
frugality , hand made and home made equals love for our planet .
the joy of making is incredible
the joy of fixing indescribable !
Mick Chesterman – Volunteer Digital Maker
I’m doing studies on families making video games together. I’ll be able to help get a suite of computers together that can be used for this kind of digital training. I would love to be able to have a regular place to do a game making workshop with local people.
Steve from Scavenger Labs / Noisy Toys
We work with young people and families to take apart old electronic equiment and make fun and noisy art projects. It would be great to have a space to run those workhops and collect electronic treasure that some people call junk.
John Williams – Tool Library
The average drill is used for 45 minutes a year. Why buy when you can borrow for free? The Tool Library has a large range of tools to make your next DIY or Gardening project easier. Let’s create a community of fixers!
Andrew Kim—Thingumajig Theatre
I’m a puppet, performance and event maker. I’d like to see an open community messy space where we can share tools, materials and skills so we can express the creativity of Todmorden here, there and everywhere.”
Here are some of the things we’ve been up to
Todmorden Repair Cafe
Scavenger Labs / Noisy Toys
The Makery drop-ins
| Mondays | 12-2pm: Textiles and upholstery 6-8pm: Bike repairs |
| Wednes | 11-1 – Woodwork and Tool Library 1-3pm: Textiles & Quiet drop In 6-7.30pm: Electrical and General |
| Fridays | 12-2pm: Textiles & General |
| Saturdays | 10-12: General & Tool Library |