Bodging in Brixton

Last Saturday I ran a fun little workshop for Brixton's Transition Town group. They've developed a really interesting spin-off project called the Brixton Remakery, which is in the process of transforming some derelict council garage units into a base for what looks set to be a really inspiring community recycling and skills-sharing programme. The garage units will be converted into workshop spaces for local creative businesses, and there will be a communal area for workshops and other creative community events.

After approaching Hannah Lewis, who runs the Remakery, I was invited to run one of a series of workshops they've been organising over March to give local people taster experiences in new skills.

Setting up three lathes in a little community building on the hottest day of the year so far got me into a bit of a sweat, and the equipment only just fitted in, but the people who came to have a go all got stuck in with great gusto, and turned out some lovely rolling pins.

The gritty urban environment seemed an incongruous setting for a craft that has such rural connotations, but it just goes to show how versatile green woodworking is and far it's come from the days of the bodger. Cities seem to me to be the great unexplored frontier for the onward march of the pole lathe.

Watch this space for more...