Beginners Guide to Retrofit

Learn about energy efficiency and making home improvements

Sat : 10.00 – 11.30 : 14th May 2022 ; FREE
Makery Workshop – Todmorden College
Followed by drop in advice session  11.30 – 12.30

What do we mean when we talk about energy efficiency and retrofit? In this short, beginners guide we explore basic ideas and concepts, helping you get to grips with how you might reduce energy bills, improve your property and make your home a little bit greener.

For: householders interested in energy efficiency and domestic retrofit, housing association staff, housing co-ops and landlords.
Trainers: Jonathan Atkinson  

Carbon Co-op / People Powered Retrofit
More info and booking: https://retrofit.eventbrite.co.uk

We are supported by our members Todmorden Town Council and the Lottery community fundss, ,

What next at the Makery?

What would you like to do or to see happen at the Makery next?

Friday : 11.30 – 13.00 : 8th April 2022 (rescheduled)

Makery Workshop – Todmorden College 

Come share your ideas for what activities we should organise at the Makery. 

We are a member-run space. Mostly we have been building up drop-ins which are going great. Also recently there have been some great one-off workshops run by volunteers. But we might want to do more and we also have a budget to pay workshop leaders who can’t volunteer. 

Come to this event to decide

This event is to ask our members, friends and partners What we should do next. 

Or in other words what would you like to see at the Makery. 

  • Workshops for Spring and Summer – paid and volunteer-run
  • Ongoing Projects we should make happen as volunteers
  • Partnerships with other groups or freelancers
  • What resources should we buy to encourage making and fixing at our drop-ins
  • Other ideas for activities to attract a range of people?
  • How can we remove any barriers to people using our space? 

Photos of the Photography Club

These are some great photos from Chris Foster of the photography club he is leading.

[Workshop] Free Lino Printing Drop in

Free Lino Printing Drop in

[Workshop] Reflective Writing

Fridays 10.00 – 11.30 – from 11th Feb (for 4 weeks)

At Makery Workshop, Tod College – Burley Rd, (next to Aldi)

Are you interested in trying out or developing some personal reflective writing. This short series of workshops may help you with personal reflection, decision making, better mental health and general well being. 

Places are limited so – Please Book – by emailing todmordenmakery <at> gmail.com

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[Workshop] Repair Re-Wear Sessions

A Textiles Surgery and Club

Repair and Rewear

Wednesdays 13.00 – 15.00 – Just Drop in!

Makery Workshop – Todmorden College – Burnley Road

This session is a chance to use the sewing and textiles equipment at the Makery.

It is also a way to get help with ongoing projects or to start new ones. 

Here are some of the things that we may be able to help with. 

  • If you want help doing alterations or repair of clothes and kit. 
  • We can help you get set up on sewing machines and cut out replacement fabric.
  • If you are getting stuck on some knitting patterns we may be able to help you get unstuck. (Judy timing?)
  • We may also be able to take on community projects involving textiles for our group to take on  – if you’re not sure what to do. 
  • Come and ask about other projects too, like upholstery, curtains etc. We can even repair tents – just come and ask.

Calling all inventors, crafters, repairer and makers. Can you fill this space?

Can you fill this space

We’ve moved things around so that there’s space for people to keep small projects in the workshop. Find out more here about how to join us as a member. todmordenmakery.org.uk/join/

[Workshop] – DSLR Photography Club

Sign up as interested in DLSR Photography ClubSign up: If you are interested fill out this form with your email and phone details and we will contact you.

Friday Mornings 10.00 – 11.30 – Makery Workshop in Todmorden College – First session 26th of Nov – Second on the 10th of December

Get to grips with DSLR settings

This ongoing occasional club is for people who have a DSLR and have had some experience using their camera perhaps only in automatic mode. It’s an ideal next step for those who what to play with more manual settings on their cameras. Members can join at any time, as each class session can stand on its own. The host of this workshop is Chris Foster a local professional Photographer.

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Fantastic Painted Display – Octotools

So happy about the new display for the Todmorden Makery from Karen. Amazing art skills. This is a great image to sum up the Makery, friendly, multi-use workshop and happy to help.

Family Fixit Club 1st Dec 2021

A lot of productive chaos at the family fixit club

Workshop [Communication] – Informal Beginner course in WordPress

Project Status – Completed

This course was successful and informal. Here are some quotes from feedback.

Friendly, informal, informative, student-centred, fun. Tutor responded to queries as they arose in a mixed ability class. We covered a lot of ground in 4 weeks.

Student Feedback

WordPress is an online system to allow you to create websites. It is flexible and relatively easy to learn. If you get more technically skilled you can alter it one a more flexible level. It’s also easy to move your websites from one place to another. All of these reasons make it a good choice if you want to learn to make your own website or blog.

The host of this website building group will be Mick Chesterman who is a tech teacher and has also written a manual on WordPress.

  • Friday 5th Nov – 10.30 – 12.00
  • Friday 12th Nov – 10.30 – 12.00
  • Friday 19th Nov – 10.30 – 12.00
  • Friday 26th Nov – 10.30 – 12.00

This is an informal set of workshops. We will work at the same time to improve the website of the Todmorden Makery – which is a WordPress one.

You will also work on a website as you go along as a way of learning. This may be a real project or just a test bed to practice your skills in a hands on way.

A lot of each week will be spent trying things out and working independently or in small groups on your websites. But each week we will have a special focus on one particular element of setting up a word press site. Including the following.

  • Creating (blog) posts and adding Images and Links to them
  • Creating Information Pages and Navigation Menus
  • Altering the look of your site by changing themes and adding header images.
  • Using Widgets, calendars and other media.

Project Status: Confirmed and booking in progress
Project Outcome: A club of people who know more about WordPress and building websites

Is this club a project you would be interested in coming to? If so fill out the form below.

[Workshop] – Lino Printing Taster session

Project Status – Complete – but recruiting for next sessions

Using a pre-cut lino block to create a wall border with block printing inks. A couple of these workshops have been run already and we’re hoping to do more in the new year.

Date: to be confirmed. Sign up for next session: If you are interested fill out this form with your email and we will contact you in August to arrange.

In a nutshell: Learn how to print an attractive wall border for your home using a hand printed Lino Block. In this first taster session, you’ll start by using a precut block to create a wall border with block printing inks. In future sessions, you’ll be able to move onto cutting your own lino block with your own design. All materials and full instruction provided.

I used to make these to sell when I was at tod studios and always meant to run a workshop on this but never got round to, although several people told me they’d like to have a go! As I still have lots of ink/ rollers and ready cut lino blocks etc I just thought it would be lovely to give people an opportunity to have a go once the workshop space is sorted out.

Anna
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[Workshop] Introduction to Power Tools

Project Status – completed but other sessions will run

You can get updates about upcoming workshops from the Tool Library here on their Facebook page

We are running a ‘Beginner’s guide to using power tools’ next Wednesday 24th November between 11.30am and 3.30pm in the Makery at Tod College (a Saturday event will also be announced shortly). This is for beginners looking to gain confidence in using the Library’s tools such as circular saws, jigsaws, drills, nailers and sanders. The workshop will be hands-on and during the session we will make a Little Library for the town.

Monday Night Bike Sessions are now Weekly Drop-Ins

It’s now a drop in.

Thanks to the fantastic bike volunteers John, Will, Martin and Simon we can now offer weekly sessions – and the best bit is that you can just turn up.

These sessions are also informal workshops where you can ask about how to maintain your bike – it’s a great source of information.

However, if you are not sure if we’ll be able to help then it’s a good idea to email us to tell us what up with your bike and even send us snaps. You can do that on the following email – makery-bikes@ googlegroup.com

A Printable Poster for our Drop-in Sessions

It’s time for some good old fashioned posters to spread the word on our weekly drop-in sessions – He’s a simple black and white one suitable for photocopiers!

Video at the Makery about reusing Dead Tech like Laptops

Alan – @teknoteacher – came for a visit to the workshop

We visit The Makery, Todmorden and discuss the Tool Library and dEdTech – making use of old netbooks.

Monday Night Bike Repairs  

    The Makery Workshop is open and ready for your repairs and projects.    
Bike Repairing on Monday Nights   We have bike repairing happening most Monday nights.These have been going really well with volunteers able to share bike repair knowledge as well as do hands on fixing!

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Opening Event for the Makey Workshop

The Makey Workshop is now official Open – here’s how you could get involved.
  Last Saturday we invited all of our volunteers, supporters family and friends to come to the opening of the Makery Workshop to thank the College, Town Council and all of our volunteers and other supporters for their help so far.
The opening was really good – just the right number of people and both the town civic people and friends and family seemed really impressed with the progress so far. And most importantly it was a nice vibe – very friendly  It was a good celebration for the work of the volunteers who have done so much to get the workshop into a great state already.    
How to Join as a Member
  Up until now we have been recruiting volunteers to run our drop in sessions and this has been going really well. Many thanks to all who have volunteers so far!   Now this is in place you can join as a member!    Members can come into the workshop and use the space and the tools that they have the skills to use. Members can also get help with their projects from other members and volunteers.   Just come to any of our open sessions and sign up as a Member.
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