A workshop with Impact Arts making planter boxes

Last month, two members from the Glasgow Wood team hosted a workshop at the Craft Café, an older people’s community group ran by the Glasgow-based charity, Impact Arts.

Equipped with their tools, Janet and Jack worked with a group of eco-conscious Craft Café members to show them and work with them on how to build our best-selling planter boxes made from reclaimed scaffold and pallet boards.

Thinking about the plans for 2022, Charlotte and the team at Impact Arts were keen to get the older members of the local community back together again in person.

“When we started the new year, we wanted to provide projects for people to get stuck in and feel focused and fully engaged. So when the opportunity to work with Glasgow Wood came about to work with our members to make 50 planters we were very happy and excited!”

Having carried out similar sessions like this in the past (including one on how to heat press old plastic bags into more durable sheets to then be used to make tote bags), the Craft Café members are very conscious of how our society wastes valuable materials.

“Many of our members do not like waste, so love the idea of repurposing things, as we did with these planters made from old reclaimed scaffolding and pallet boards.

When Janet and Jack came to visit us they demonstrated and provided us with guidance on how to use the drills and assemble the boxes. The members were really motivated and thoroughly enjoyed being practical.”

It seemed that it wasn’t just the members who enjoyed the day! With the comfort of a very friendly canine companion running around their feet, Janet and Jack wished they were able to hold workshops like this all the time. Telling us about the day, Janet said:

“Jack was a really great teacher to the Craft Café members, and I think we both loved having Bonnie around. It was like having a therapet session, I really wish we could do more of these workshops!”

A days workshop wasn’t anywhere near enough time to get all these planter boxes built and carefully mosaicked though. Once constructed, the members spent a few more sessions using their creative flair to very beautifully paint and mosaic the planters.

“Using donated tiles which would have otherwise been wasted, we then painted and mosaicked the planters. Mosaicking gave the members an opportunity to try different designs – from geometric to completely random patterns.

The members commented that it’s like making a puzzle, and found themselves completely absorbed and lost in the pattern-making process.”

The final task was to decide what to plant inside and where these works of art would end up!

“We wanted to bring more pollinators and greenery to Govan, so filling them with plants and flowers was a logical choice. Lettuce, perennials, herbs and wildflowers were just a few of the different seeds planted.

The planters were all taken home by members to be placed in gardens or windowsills so we’re really looking forward to seeing these lovely planters brightening up the Govan community.

If they didn’t have space, they were gifted to friends, loved ones, or to Craft Café members who have not been well enough to return since after the pandemic so they can also have a little bit of nature and the Craft Café with them.”

We’re very excited to see where all they end up, so stay tuned!

The Craft Café in Govan is an older people’s community group run by the charity Impact Arts. It’s a space where people aged 60+ can try different arts, crafts and creative ideas, and also be in the companionship of friends. To learn more about the Craft Café and Impact Arts head to their website.