Are you ready to transform your home, learn invaluable new skills and connect with your community – all at once and completely for free? Then we are thrilled to invite you to get involved at our new Makers Yard at Witton Lakes Eco Hub.

A new skills programme, developed in partnership with PF Stokes, BMET College, Bournville Village Trust and Boss Gardens, has been designed to support, inspire and bring people together.

Starting on Friday June 12, and running every week from 10am to 1pm, the Makes Yard will be open for residents to gain some practical, hands-on learning. At a time when so many households continue to feel the heavy financial pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, these sessions offer a powerful remedy.

Save Money

Shane Wedderburn, Flourishing Community Services Manager at Witton Lodge Community Association, said: “By equipping people with practical skills, the Makers Yard can help them save money, drastically reduce their waste output and strengthen our collective community resilience.”

People can take part in sessions led by experts which cover a wide mix of everyday essentials and creative projects. These include:

• DIY Around the Home: Learn how to fix cupboard doors, hang shelves, master basic repairs and tackle painting and decorating with confidence.
• Furniture Building: Dive into the basics of woodwork, learn how to restore older pieces and try your hand at creating tables and chairs from scratch.
• Upcycling & Creative Making: Learn how to embrace sustainable crafting by reusing old materials and transforming unwanted items into beautiful, functional treasures.
• Outdoor & Community Projects: Help to build a greener community by constructing planters, bird boxes and other garden features.
• Home Maintenance: Learn basic electrics like how to change a fuse and wire a plug alongside easy plumbing tasks like unblocking a sink.

“The Makers Yard is more than just learning how to use a hammer or a paintbrush, it is about building personal confidence and giving people independence” added Shane.

New Opportunities 

“In addition to the workshops, residents can use their experience to explore pathways into education, volunteering and employment and opportunities to establish social enterprise initiatives.”

Spaces are available right now so to book your place or to find out more, call us on 0121 227 3200 or pop into Witton Lakes Eco Hub in Witton Lakes Park, Gipsy Lane (off Faulkners Farm Drive), Erdington B23 7XX.