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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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!
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.
Inspired by Karl Roscoe’s reloved project we have an area of the workshop where we display some of the objects, that have been donated to be fixed up by the Makery Workshop.
It would be amazing to have a volunteer have a good look at this space to be able to get across what it is all about. The ethos of fixing up, caring for objects and re-gifting them. Any way of organising this – adding art – adding text would be really welcome.
(As you know) Todmorden Makery is starting up as a community workshop for repairing and making of many kinds. We are getting up and running with drop-ins and projects starting in mid to late September. We are running a starting session for volunteers so they know what’s going on.
Starts on 6th July – 3.30 – 5.00pm at Todmorden College Makery Workshop (just ask for the Makery at the reception of Tod College) then 13th & 20th of July 3.30 – 5.00 too
Fixing is magic. You can breathe new life into the things you love. You can build your skills up starting with simple fixes.
These workshops led by Bill Kitchener will allow you to work on your own Mosaic as part of a group.
This art project will involve creating a small, decorative mosaic. You will have the chance to use glass and ceramic mosaic tiles to create your own design with guidance. All materials will be provided. This is for adults only.
This artwork by Govi Asano – Fixit the Phoenix – will be part of the campaign presentation of the Making Change project that the Makery is running at Ferney Lee primary school. For more info check back here soon.
We have a lot of donated games consoles – some from the youth service. Let’s check them out and see if they can be modified ready for a Games Console Library.
Families or individuals could borrow an original retro console for a few weeks and then trade it in for another.
Painting at the new workshop update – The colours are going on – all paint supplied by the college. Thanks Anna, Neil, Bill and Mick! Also see the first workstation nearly done -Big thanks to Sam B!
We have been awarded Town Council grant funding to establisha community workshop located in Todmorden Community College.
Image of the first Repair Cafe at the new Todmorden Makery workshop
Following the success of the pre-covid monthly Repair Café held in Todmorden Masonic Hall, Mick Chesterman decided more could be done to create a long-term space for people to make, create and repair, as well as provide a home for like-minded community focused projects.
Mick said “Todmorden Makery is a community workshop for repairing and making all manner of things located in Todmorden Community College. One of the leading contributions to climate gas emissions are the textile and electronics industries. This project encourages repairing objects, sharing tools and spreading knowledge of repairing.
This is a project that is good for the environment as well as being great for people. One of the key elements is as a home to a monthly repair cafe and additional workshops to help people repair their own clothes, electronics, bikes and household items.”
Steering group member Martin Ross said: “As well as reducing waste and saving people money, the aim is to help local people gain transferable skills that will help build confidence, connections and in finding jobs and starting their own businesses. The workshop will be a resource for making all sorts of objects with a range of specialist equipment including an industrial sewing machine, 3D printer and digital media and software development tools.
The Makery is the home of a new, free to use tool library which will allow the community to borrow high quality tools from week to week. It is a home for Techtastic which aims to bridge the digital divide by refurbishing donated laptops and distributing them to people with no access to a computer.”
Todmorden Town Council support the launch of Makery Project with grant
Todmorden Town Council have supported the launch of Makery Project with a grant of £3,000. One of the strong elements of the grant application was the way it supported the climate emergency policies of Calderdale council.
Todmorden Town Council support the launch of Makery Project with grant
They were also particularly interested in our plans for a tool library and the way we hope to become sustainable through a membership scheme and microdonations.
Thank you to everyone involved so far and the support of the people of Todmorden
So far the Makery has been a real team effort. Local community groups have come together to make this project happen. Incredible Edible have co-ordinated a volunteer day to clean and get the space ready for painting and local science educators Scavenger Labs have taken on the administration tasks for the first year.
The volunteer sign up rate and participation has also been impressive. Since launching the idea this spring hundreds of people have signed up as potential members of the project.
The Makery is located in Todmorden Community College which has recently come under community ownership via the group Todmorden Learning Centre. TLC have been very supportive allowing the project to rent the workshop part time as we get started and supplying us with paint and worksurfaces.
Steering group member Mary Clear from Incredible Edible said: “It’s great to feel the support of the college and the people and council Todmorden behind the project. The grant awarded by the Town Council is a fantastic endorsement.
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 zillions of tons of good things discarded. The joy of making and fixing is incredible!”
How can people get involved?
To build a strong member-run organisation. We are looking for people to get involved in the following ways.
Running workshops for their friends, family and other members of the space
Coming to the repair cafes to repair their old gadgets and clothes thus saving them from landfill.
Running partnership sessions at the workshop for specialist groups
We are inviting the community to get in touch with ideas or just sign up for updates at the project website and social media.
What’s next? We will have a launch event soon once renovations and preparations are complete. From September we will have several weekly drop in sessions running at different times of the day and the tool library open on Saturday mornings.
The Makery Workshop is open and ready for your repairs and projects. 
