We have a large well-equipped workshop, kitted out with hand-held woodwork tools, band saw and pillar drill. We are open every day apart from Sale Day, providing supported employment for adults with special needs. They repair donated items of furniture, which are otherwise in good condition. Where they cannot be repaired, the wood is reclaimed and made into garden benches, planters, bird tables, mug racks or coat hooks and sold in the Sale on a Friday. Other volunteers, who normally work on the vans, can also take advantage of spending time in the workshop, making small items for their own use and learning new skills.

Ray is one of our ‘old boys’ and everyone at Christian Concern is very fond of him. He came to us after spending many years in Cranage hospital suffering from epilepsy. The workshop provides him with supported employment but, more importantly, with a sense of family, of purpose and of value. He has now progressed from doing simple sanding, to the point where he is actively seeking out help and asking to make garden benches and planting boxes.

This is a significant turn of events, as Ray doesn’t normally show strong preferences. He is enthusiastic! His benches are well made and he takes enormous pride in them. Best of all, Ray watches out to see when they’ve been sold and makes sure we know about it. What a star!