RUN OF THE MILL - Ruskin Mill Trust

RUN OF THE MILL 

The Ruskin Mill Educational Trust Magazine For: 

Winter 2010 

Ruskin Mill College, Glasshouse College and Freeman College

Ruskin mill educational tRust 

Welcome to the Winter 2010 issue of Run of the Mill Magazine. 

Run of the Mill, founded in 1995, is published each term and distributed freely 

to all those connected with Ruskin Mill Educational Trust (RMET) colleges. 

Ruskin Mill Educational Trust operates three colleges: 

Ruskin Mill College in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, founded in 1987, Glasshouse College 

in Stourbridge, West Midlands, opened in 2000 and Freeman College, Sheffield, in 2005. 

Run of the Mill offers students and staff an opportunity to express their creativity, work and 

experiences within college life and reflect the work and aims of Ruskin Mill Educational Trust. 

The work draws inspiration from Rudolf Steiner, John Ruskin and William Morris. 

Innovative and Experiential Education 

In 1984, Aonghus Gordon, the founder of Ruskin Mill Educational Trust (RMET), discovered 

that when young people with learning difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorders and 

developmental delay, worked with crafts-people in natural environments on real-life, purposeful 

tasks, their personal, emotional, social skills and health improved dramatically. 

Since the first college was set up at Ruskin Mill, hundreds of students have experienced the 

unique learning opportunities at one of our three colleges. 

This magazine will give you an insight in pictures and words of the RMET experience. 

Students follow an individualised programme of learning, both whilst at college 

as well as a life skills curriculum during evenings and weekends in our 

residential provision. 

Therapeutic activities and a diet rich in organic whole foods 

complement the educational programmes, providing a 

unique model of care and development. 

The vocational and living skills curriculum aims to develop 

transferable skills to prepare each student for their transition 

beyond college life. 

Each college is located within commercial craft and arts centres 

where the heritage of the area influences each college’s specific 

curriculum. At Ruskin Mill, land and textiles crafts predominate, 

at Glasshouse, students work with hot and cold glass and at Freeman, 

metal working is a key feature of the timetable. 

As well as being educational centres, each college runs a cultural programme 

including exhibitions, artistic events and workshops open to the public, staff and students. 

Admissions for all three colleges: Tel 01453 837521. 

Email: admissions@rmet.org.uk 

Editor of Run of the Mill: William Mercer : Tel: 01453 837620. 

Email: william.mercer@rmc.rmet.org.uk 

Please visit the RMET Website: www.rmet.org.uk 

Contact Khirsty Cater with any comments or suggestions about the website at: 

khirsty.cater@rmet.org.uk 

Front Cover: Neale, 2nd-year, glass cutting at Ruskin Glass Centre for Work Experience

The Colleges 

Ruskin Mill College (RMC) 

Ruskin Mill College is set in over 100 acres of the 

Horsley valley and includes a working farm and fish farm. 

The Ruskin Mill café serves vegetarian lunches, coffee and 

cakes seven days a week, 11 – 4 pm 

(no lunches on Sundays or Bank Holidays). 

The Gallery is open for exhibitions seven days a week, 10 - 5 

pm, as well as hosting an arts and educational programme. 

Ruskin Mill College, The Fisheries, Horsley, 

Gloucestershire, GL6 0PL. 

Reception: 01453 837500. Fax: 01453 837506. 

Email: enquiries@rmc.rmet.org.uk 

Arts, Crafts and Cultural Development: 01453 837537. 

Glasshouse College (GHC) 

Glasshouse College is based at the former Royal Doulton 

glassworks in Stourbridge and draws upon 200 years of heritage 

of high quality craftsmanship. It provides an increasing range 

of opportunities for students, particularly in glass-related crafts 

and the performing arts. 

The Glasshouse café is open Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm, 

serving vegetarian lunches, coffee and cakes. 

The Glasshouse Studio Theatre runs a full programme of artistic 

and educational events. 

The Ruskin Glass Centre continues the traditions of glass work 

in Stourbridge by independent businesses. 

Glasshouse College, Wollaston Road, Amblecote, 

Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 4HF. 

Reception: 01384 399400. Fax: 01384 399401. 

Glasshouse Studio Theatre Box Office: 01384 399430. 

Email: enquiries@ghc.rmet.org.uk 

Freeman College (FMC) 

Founded in the heart of Sheffield’s silversmithing and cutlery 

industry, Freeman College opened in September 2005. Named 

after Arnold Freeman, the founder of the Settlement movement 

in Sheffield, the college provides a range of practical activities 

in the heart of Sheffield’s industrial heritage, as well as a 

cultural programme at the Merlin Theatre. 

Freeman College 

Sterling Works, 88 Arundel Street, 

Sheffield, S1 2NG 

Telephone 0114 252 5940. Fax: 0114 252 5996 

Email: info@fmc.rmet.org.uk 

The Merlin Theatre is currently closed under renovation.

Contents 

Front Cover: Work Experience at Ruskin Glass Centre 

5. Festival of Glass 

6. Ruskin Glass Centre 

12. Willow Work 

16. Whittle Tang 

17. Raft Building & Volunteering 

18. Black History Month 

19. My Driving Experience 

20. Independent Living 

22. High Riggs 

24. Animal Husbandry 

27. Falconry 

28. New Forge Launched 

30. Iron Age Forge 

31. Cartoon & Art 

32. Manfred Bleffert 

34. Fusion Cafe & 3 Day Assessment 

36. Golfing Gold & Rugby 

37. Ruskin Mill Reception 

38. Painting & Decorating 

39. Yu-Gi-Oh Club 

40. Balm Making 

41. Nettles, Flynn & Mayoral Visit 

42. Metal Meets Glass 

43. Jean Stocks 

44. Blue John & Gold Smith 

46. Ruskin Mill Sculptures 

47. West of England Visit 

48. Heritage Open Day 

49. Living at Tintagel 

50. Raft Building 

51. HE Conference 

52. Clervaux Trust 

57. Wordsearch & Quiz 

58. Ex-Files 

60. Art at Freeman College

The Fourth 

International 

Festival 

of Glass 

by Keith Brocklehurst 

Festival Director & 

Head of Glass GHC 

This summer another successful International 

Festival of Glass was held at the Glasshouse 

College and the newly refurbished Ruskin 

Glass Centre. It attracted over 10,000 visitors 

from all around the UK as well as from 

Europe, the USA and Japan. 

The British Glass Biennale exhibition again showed the 

best of contemporary glass being made in Britain by 

both young and established makers. Among highlights 

this year were Gianni Toso, a virtuoso Venetian 

glassmaker, and Cedi Nomoda, a traditional Ghanaian 

glass beadmaker. Gianni demonstrated both glass- 

blowing at the furnace and flame-working exquisite 

figures from his family tradition of 800 years. Cedi 

showed us bead-making skills passed down in his 

family since the 14 th century. 

A variety of talks on many aspects of glass, heritage 

walks around Stourbridge, “have a go” glass activities, 

acrobats, drumming and an African dance finale all 

contributed to a vibrant enjoyable weekend. 

This year we ran 

a photographic 

competition from 

which we have 

selected a few to 

give a flavour of 

the festival.

6 

Ruskin Glass Centre Refurbished 

The Overview by Ian Clements 

Project Director 

Since Glasshouse College was opened by Ruskin Mill 

Educational Trust in 2000, on the site of the former 

Royal Doulton factory in the glass making district of 

Stourbridge, there have been plans to redevelop the 

site; these finally got underway earlier this year with 

the start of Phase 1, the refurbishment of the Ruskin 

Glass Centre. In 2003, following extensive consultation, 

Aonghus Gordon and Janine Christley launched RECAST 

– Regenerating Education and Community through Art, 

Science and Technology - with significant community 

and political support. This led to the launch of the 

Glasshouse Development Project, a multi million pound, 

multi partner scheme to comprehensively refurbish 

and revitalise the whole site. The overall aspiration of 

the Project has always been to redevelop the site and 

buildings to create a world class facility that embraces 

culture, enterprise, education and heritage. 

The Ruskin Glass Centre re-opened in August following 

its full refurbishment thanks to generous funding of 

£1.54 million from Advantage West Midlands. Work 

started in February and was completed on budget and 

only a week late, just in time for the 4th International 

Festival of Glass which occupied large parts of the 

Glasshouse site. Ruskin Glass Centre now has 15 newly 

created workshops housing a range of established and 

start-up glass related businesses, as well as other craft 

enterprises. As part of the inter-relationship between 

education and commerce, students from Glasshouse 

College are able to receive valuable work experience 

with the on-site businesses in this striking and 

transformed environment. 

As well as workshops for start-up businesses and some 


Run of the Mill ~ Winter 2010 

The new entrance to the Ruskin Glass Centre, awaiting its final completion, and the new café leading to the workshops 

managed workspace, the centre has a café and will 

develop its retail operation. Phase 1 has also created 

jobs, offers potential to create an outstanding showcase 

for local glass businesses and has plans to set-up an 

apprenticeship scheme to sustain the skills in the glass 

industry as well as the skills in working with students 

Phase 2 of the Glasshouse Development Project, to 

refurbish and upgrade the lower Glasshouse, recently 

received an enormous boost with news of a £1.85 

million award from the Heritage Lottery Fund, to add 

to the £250,000 already awarded by the Arts Council. 

We are currently in the process of applying for additional 

funding from the European Regional Development 

Fund to refurbish other semi-derelict buildings on-site 

and bring them into productive, commercial use. This 

second phase will hopefully be completed by the summer 

of 2012 in time for the 5th International Festival of Glass. 

Drawing of Phase 2 

for the Glasshouse 

Heritage & Arts 

Centre 

Phase 3 will be to redevelop the rest of the site which 

is, primarily, devoted to college facilities. Glasshouse 

College Principal, Olliver Cheney, is heading a small 

working group to create a masterplan for the site and 

provide the college fundraiser the framework within 

which to raise the funds that will be needed to finance 

this work.

Anne Jenkins, Regional Director of the Heritage Lottery Fund with 

drama students and Mike Chase, Artistic Director of Glasshouse Arts 

Centre in the current building in need of total refurbishment. 

Leigh White 

Ruskin Glass Centre Manager 

I am a recent addition to Ruskin Mill Educational Trust 

and came on board about four weeks before the finish 

of the Ruskin Glass Centre refurbishment. Seeing this 

project take shape to become a new visitor attraction, 

usable work space with a brand new café has been very 

exciting. Ruskin Glass Centre has the potential to be a 

key asset for the Trust, as well as for the local community 

and economy. 

Many of our tenants were here before the refurbishment 

and we have some new tenants who cover a diverse 

range of skills and crafts, from glass to printing and 

soap-making. This is a great opportunity to support 

the indigenous glass trade, well-known in Stourbridge, 

through an interesting business model, linking 

Glasshouse College with business and commerce and the 

café that is linked to our own biodynamic farm produce 

and local organic produce. Students from Glasshouse 

College continue to get valuable work experience from 

our businesses. 

We are lucky to have the flowform project in-house, 

developing and building cast-glass flow forms for 

Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse College. We offer 

a managed workspace where craftspeople can lease the 

equipment in the studio who ordinarily would not be 

able to afford such equipment and whom can rent the 

space for short periods of time. 

We also provide opportunities for business start-ups 

and graduates through our incubator units. These new 

projects can rent a space for up to two years and we will 

also support them as much as possible in their projects. 

The café will provide an opportunity to draw in the 

public and will be a great asset, especially as most of 

the commercial businesses sell their goods from their 

workshops. Visitors therefore will be able to watch items 

being created and then purchase them. We expect to 



have a busy period over Christmas and are just starting 

our marketing campaign to draw in people. I have the 

utmost belief in the potential of the centre as a place to 

educate and to give visitors and experience that they 

won’t expect. We aim to make the Ruskin Glass Centre a 

focal point for glass in the country, as well as continuing 

to develop our partnerships with the Glasshouse Arts 

Centre and Glasshouse College. 

Chris Williams, Catering Manager 

I come from a fine dining hotel background in catering 

and trained in French cuisine, having been influenced 

by the Roux brothers. I worked in a country house in 

Wales, where we also grew our own vegetables and 

produce. I moved back to this area and the opportunity 

to work at Ruskin Glass Centre presented itself and I am 

very excited about the project. 

The emphasis for our café is to use local, organic, 

biodynamic and fresh produce. Part of the appeal for 

this job will be to work with the students as I’ve trained 

chefs in the past who have become very good in their 

own right. We will offer a fine range of patisseries, where 

everything will be made from scratch. We will develop 

the bakery to produce breads and cakes and offer light 

snacks, salads, soups and casseroles. 

As we will be using produce from Vale Head Farm, we 

will offer daily specials which might include our homegrown 

lamb, for instance. Opening times will cover 

breakfasts, lunches and tea, open from 8 am to 5 pm, and 

we will cater for functions in the future. 

I am committed to making this café as organic as possible 

and using as much produce from our biodynamic farm 

and the locality as possible. We hope to start a Slow 

Food UK group in Stourbridge, which works with the 

principles of providing low food miles and good-quality 

organic produce. I also meet with the Stourbridge 

biodynamic group at Vale Head Farm and I will be using 

trout from the fish farm at Ruskin Mill College. 

Chris and 

Leigh 

7

8 

Work Experience in the Ruskin Glass Centre 

Kevin Barry, Cut Glass Crystal 

The value for me of working with 

students is to see how well they develop 

over three years. I gain a lot from the 

teaching side and the respect we develop 

between ourselves. I get many exstudents 

popping in and saying hello 

and it is surprising how many of these 

students were not able to talk to me 

when they first arrived. 

Students gain a lot of self-confidence 

in doing work experience, as well as 

learning to keep time, being polite to 

customers, team-building and generally 

learning to work with other students and 

people in a busy working environment. They also learn 

to be precise in their work, which can then carry over 

to other skills they engage in around the college. In this 

work they learn to focus and concentrate and gradually 

feel safe about the craft and the working environment. 

Students often come to me when they are feeling low or 

angry and I offer them as much support as I am able. 

Jessica, 3rd-year 

When I arrived at Glasshouse College, I did some 

glasswork with Brian Mason in Glass Cutting and I also 

started with Kevin on a drop-in basis on my first year. 



In my second year, I had Kevin on my timetable and even 

taught my Student Journey Manager how to cut glass. 

We have to learn about health and 

safety, how to be careful with one’s hair, 

removing jewellery that may get caught 

in the machinery and wearing protective 

glasses when glass-cutting. We also wear 

protective gloves when sand-blasting. 

Since I’ve been with Barry, I’ve engraved 

glasses and vases. I enjoy it here because 

I like making things and I now feel more 

comfortable and confident with the 

craft. I work well with the others in the 

studio and we can all work at our own 

pace. 

Mark, 3rd-year 

My first glass session at college was with hot glass and 

then I went onto Glass Cutting with Brian Mason. I 

completed an OCN in Glass Cutting and then went onto 

Glass Engraving. Now I come to Kevin’s workshop twice 

a week for work experience and it has been going great. 

I’ve never worked with glass before and Kevin’s been a 

great teacher. My hand-eye coordination has improved 

and so has my concentration, although this can vary 

depending on my moods. 

I am currently working on rough soda-glass, using a 

rough diamond wheel and I also use mitre wheels and 

the sandblaster. When I leave college, I want to do an 

advanced IT course and help my dad who works in IT. I 

would also like to keep up my skills in glass and I think I 

am best at glass engraving.

Most of my time at Glasshouse College has been great as 

I have made good friends, worked a lot in horticulture 

and my cooking has certainly improved. 

Emma, 3rd-year 

I’ve been doing work experience since my first year at 

Glasshouse College with Kevin Barry and he described 

my work scarily like a 3rd-year’s. I’ve also done work 

experience with Paul Floyd, Cinnamon Studios and the 

Natural Soapworks. I love to make things and Kevin gave 

me complete control over the design of a vase which I 

am currently working on. If he likes it, it will go into 

his shop. I especially like to make things for my family 

and my gran has a small crystal bowl made in Kevin’s 

workshop. 

The craftwork skills at college are a development of my 

interests, such as drawing (which I need for the design 

side) and that I had to do for my mosaic. For Sue Parry, 

I’ve also done some cleaning for her display cabinet, 

loading the kiln (where you have to be very careful with 

the items). I’ve also helped to thread up necklaces and 

with the packaging. 

Eventually I want to run my own cattery, for which I 

need a health & safety accreditation for animal welfare, 

a business course and IT qualifications. This is what I am 

hoping to because cats mean a lot to me. 

Neale, 2nd-year 

Front Cover Story 

In my first year, I got through 250 glasses in Glass-cutting 

with Brian Mason, as well as in Redhouse Glasscrafts, 

where I do work experience. I’ve also worked on an 

ice bucket, a vase, a tankard and up to five bowls. Glass 

cutting is what I really like to do and I had never done it 



before I came to Glasshouse College. From my first piece 

of work, I have been pushed even harder to cut well with 

complicated designs onto crystals. With crystal, if you 

make a mistake, you can buff it off and it is a lot easier 

to work with than ordinary glass, which is soft and more 

likely to slip. Lead crystal is harder, easier to use and the 

patterns can be more precise. 

My latest bowl (below) was made by a glass-blower, 

which I then put up onto a marking machine. Having 

selected the pattern, the bowl is then marked with very 

fine black marks and we then fit the size of diamond 

wheel required to cut the glass. We use a range of wheels 

to get different shapes and to finish this bowl, it was sent 

off to a registered acid polisher in Stourbridge. I will use 

it as an ornament, as well as probably keeping fruit in it. 

9

10 

Directory of Businesses at Ruskin Glass Centre 

Wollaston Road, Amblecote, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 4HF 

Open 7 days a week, 9 - 5 pm, Mon - Sat, 9 - 4 pm, Sundays. Tel: 01384 399419 

Martin Andrews Glass 

One of Britain’s highly recognised hot glassblowers, renowned for high quality work, skillfully made 

forms, with the highest attention to detail and innovative colour work and surface treatments. 

His designs offer a fresh and tactile approach. 

Contact: e: info@martinandrewsglass.com. t & f: 01384 399462. 

Diamond Bottlenecks 

Traditionally hand-crafted, authentic real glass, perfectly shaped & polished bottlenecks for 

slide guitar to custom-made Lap and Pedal Steel crystal glass tone-bars. The finest hand-crafted 

glass guitar slides in the world. 

Contact: e: slides@diamondbottlenecks.com. t: +44 (0) 1384 399460 or +44 (0) 7795 418830 

Kevin Barry Crystal 

Kevin offers off the shelf cut glass pieces, a design service and undertakes bespoke commissions. 

He will make an individual piece for an individual customer, something that could never happen, 

except by special command, with factory cut glass. 

Contact: e: kevinbarrycrystal@blueyonder.co.uk. t: 01384 399468 m: 07951 031993 

Simon Bruntnell Photography 

Simon is a photographer has gained a reputation for photographing contemporary glass art. His 

studio, Northlight, reflects Stourbridge, the home to a vibrant studio glass movement. 

Contact: e: simon.bruntnell@gmail.com. t: 01384 399465. m: 07850 395193. 

w: www.northlightphotography.co.uk 

Cinnamon Studio 

At Cinnamon Studio, we offer textiles workshops and short course, including upholstery, embroidery, knitting and 

patchwork. We also sell textile items and take commissions. 

Contact: t: 01384 399469. www.cinnamonstudio.co.uk 

George F Jackson - Glass Artist 

One-off individual pieces including kiln worked, stained and fused glass. George makes a clay 

model and a mould refractory capable of withstanding considerable temperatures up to 900o C. 

Contact: e: gfjglass@hotmail.co.uk. m: 07745 594629 

The Natural Soapworks 

We specialise in making handmade goats milk soaps, aromatherapy cosmetics and natural skin care 

products. Our natural cosmetics and skincare products are formulated inhouse, by a professionally 

qualified clinical aromatherapist. 

Contact: enquiries@naturalsoapworks.co.uk. t: 01384 399451



Carl Palmer, Copper Wheel Engraver 

Copper Wheel’ engraving is the most demanding of glass decorating techniques, requiring many 

years of training. Carl Burton Palmer is now one of the few remaining ‘copper wheel’ engravers 

in the United Kingdom and undertakes commissions for corporations, specialist organisations and 

private clients. 

Contact: e: carlbpalmer@btopenworld.com. m: 0775 1978731 

Sue Parry Designs 

Sue works in two distinctive techniques. One is the exciting and dynamic technique of pouring 

hot molten glass into moulds and then manipulating the pieces by hand. The other exciting line is 

highly distinctive mirrored glass display platters which can be wall mounted or free standing. 

Contact: e: info@sueparry.co.uk 

Redhouse Glass Crafts 

Offering a specialist glass repair service since 1986, Redhouse use both traditional skills and modern technology to 

restore damaged glassware to its former beauty. 

Contact: e: redhouseglass@hotmail.co.uk. t & f: 01384 399460. 

Redpath Glass 

Georgia works in kiln glass, from fusing, stumping and casting general house-wares and 

sculptural work. She looks to getting transparency and depth of colour into her pieces. 

Georgia has just started her business operation at the Ruskin Glass Centre and sells mainly 

through galleries and exhibitions. 

Contact: e: georgia@georgiaredpath.co.uk. m: 07939 561489 

Stourbridge Glass Engravers Ltd 

Stourbridge Glass Engravers offer a service to engrave crests, logo’s or text onto a varied array 

of glassware and pride themselves on being able to offer a wide variety of Trophies, Awards and 

Presentation Glassware tailored to suit customers individual requirements. 

Contact: e: sales@stourbridge-glass-engravers.co.uk. t: 01384 399466 / 878052 

Stourbridge Glassblowing Studio 

Stephen Foster’s work has been exhibited widely around the Britain, ensuring his reputation as a designer and maker 

of innovative and exciting contemporary hand-blown glass. Stephen also teaches helping students to realize their 

designs and attain higher levels of skill. 

Contact: e: glassfos@hotmail.com. m: 07760 121328 

Wynstones Press 

Wynstones Press publish and distribute books on a variety of subjects, including many titles for 

children, parents and teachers. A range of folded cards and postcards including reproductions from 

contemporary watercolour paintings, embroideries and other mediums on a range of themes as well 

as prints including reproductions of old masters imported from Europe. 

Contact: e: info@wynstonespress.com 

t: +44 (0) 1384 399455. f: +44 (0) 1384 399463. 

11

12 

Willow Work and Basket Making 

Tutors, Lucy Meikle and Joanna Duncan 

Introduce the Nature of the Craft 

Basket making is one of the oldest crafts in the world 

and has been part of the curriculum offered at Ruskin 

Mill College for over 20 years. Last summer, the willow 

workshop moved up to Gables Farm above the shop, with 

much easier access to the surrounding countryside and 

only a short walk from the willow beds in Park Wood. 

The willow beds were planted 18 years ago near the 

stream which is their natural habitat. You can see them 

as you walk down from the woods along the track to 

Horsley Mill. These beds still provide some of the raw 

material we use in the workshop today. In the winter, we 

go out to gather hedgerow plants such as wild dogwood, 

snowberry, clematis, spindle berry, hazel and lots more. 

This gives us a variety of materials; colours and textures 

to weave into our baskets and an appreciation of our local 

environment. 

The students are involved in the whole process and 

follow the cycle of the year with a variety of seasonal 

tasks including: planting, growing, tending, harvesting, 

sorting and stripping the willow before it is taken into 

the basket workshop where it is soaked and mellowed in 

preparation for the practical craft work. We very much 

appreciate the role of the woodland team in taking on the 

responsibility of looking after the willow beds. Engaging 

the students in the work at the willow beds gives them an 

opportunity to develop a relationship with nature and a 

greater respect for the raw material which is worked in 

to the finished product. 

Back in the workshop, students sit on the floor in a 

circle, facing each other. They work on large, wooden 

boards that rest on their laps, with the baskets in front of 

them and their willow and tools beside them. This is the 

traditional way that baskets are made. It means that not 

only are the students engaged individually on their own 

creative project but, at the same time, they are part of 

a social circle where the opportunities for conversation 

are able to flourish. The feel and the smell of the willow 

enriches the sensory qualities of the experience. 

Left: Harvesting willow and collecting apples on the farm 

with an apple picker made in Willow Work 

As students weave their baskets they are encouraged 

to incorporate their own interests; making their own 

individual, creative decisions about the design of their 

basket and to think about the function of their basket 

and what they might choose to put in it. Over the years, 

students have made an extensive range of: dog and 

cat baskets; log baskets; fruit baskets; laundry baskets; 

coracles; rush hats; beehives; plant climbers; live willow 

shelters; duck nesting baskets, etc. Where we can, we 

look to share our skills with other areas of the college 

such as making apple pickers for the market garden, food 

baskets for the woodland kitchen and stationery baskets 

for the offices at Horsley Mill, giving students a sense

Lucy and Bex in the Willow workshop at Gables Farm 

of being able to contribute to the wider community. 

Students are also given the opportunity to learn the 

commercial aspects of the craft by visiting the ‘Willow 

and Wetlands Centre’ in Somerset where they have a 

working willow farm, workshops, museum and shop. 

The experience often inspires students to take on new 

challenges such as making a chair, a beehive, a helmet or 

a blackberry picking basket on a hazel stick. 

The experience of basket making in the workshop gives 

the student an opportunity to embed their learning 

in context. Encouraging students to take part in the 

whole process helps to develop their relationship with 

the world around them, socially and culturally. It is a 

reflective process which engages their ideas, feelings 

and behaviour and mirrors back to them the reality and 

consequences of their actions. Some students choose to 

give their craft work away as a gift or use their baskets in 

the home, which can be a daily reminder for students of 

the challenges and achievements that have gone into their 

work. 

Teaching students practical, transferable and recognisable 

skills illustrates their potential to create change in the 

world, encouraging them to take responsibility for 

themselves, building their confidence and self esteem. 

The working environment is one of mutual learning and 

respect between tutors and students where we can value 

diversity and look for equality of opportunities for all. 

The students’ and tutors’ experience is, that each 

basket is as individual as its basketmaker, reflecting 

the basketmaker’s skills and struggles as they weave 

a container out of their imagination and into reality. 

It’s a woven story. 

Ruskin Mill College 


Tom, 3rd-year 

Drama is one of my favourite sessions, learning new 

skills such as coping with public places, how to act and 

do impressions. We do loads of games and the teacher 

is really nice. We are currently doing The Curse of the 

Hairy Man. I enjoy Art and I’ve done the Arts Award. 

I’ve been doing basket-making for about half a year and 

I’ve made dinner plate mats using a French randing 

weave, and a laundry basket. I really like all of the 

creative lessons. I started making a waste paper basket, 

then I made a small ‘hedgerow’ basket made from 

Ruskin Mill willow. I’ve also made a very little basket. 

(bottom picture). I made it because Lucy told me it was 

impossible and very difficult to make one and I wanted to 

prove her wrong. The handle was the most difficult part. 

I had to use very thin willow, both white and stemmed 

willow. I’ve also made a project of five dinner mats and 

a basket to put them in for my household. Each mat is 

Above: Tom using a rapping iron to push the weave down and, below, 

some of his work including the very small basket. 

13

14 

a different willow. The basket is made of five different 

types of willow. 

I used a bobkin to split the willow and secateurs to cut 

the willow. I use a rapping iron to push the weave down 

to make it tighter and have less holes. The lap board 

rests on the legs and the work sits on it and we put 

stones in the work to weigh them down and keep them 

steady. I get a sense of achievement making things and 

things no one else has made using my ideas. 

Bex, 3rd-year 

I enjoyed animal husbandry, horse riding at Barton, 

pottery, basket working, and working in the Coffee Shop 

and Canteen. I like the craft workshops because it’s 

interesting and sitting doing something. I am also doing 

office skills, lunch club, baking & preserving, living skills 

and Gables Grocery Store. 

I’m in a household and I do the chores at the weekend, 

cooking, washing up and my cooking is getting better. 

Stirfries, curry and pasta & sauce I don’t need help with. 

I have good friendships and meet-up with them at the 

weekends. We go into Stroud for swimming and gym. I 

can travel independently and go on the train to London 

and then get the District Line all on my own. I would 

like to get a job working with animals and do work 

experience at St. Augustine’s farm. 

In Willow work, we have to soak the willow so it is wet 

and bendy which means it is easier to work with. I soak 

my work for half an hour to an hour with white and buff 

willow. Willow with bark needs up to a week. 

I’ve been doing willow work for a term now. I’ve made 



a shopping basket, laundry basket and waste paper 

basket. I am giving a fruit basket to my mum and the 

shopping basket to my sister. It was kind of difficult to 

start with, especially to get the weaving patterns right. 

Now that I’ve done it, it’s a lot easier. 

I’ve used the randing weave and wailing weave. We start 

at the base and put side stakes to push the willow into the 

base weave and work up to make the border at the top 

to finish it off. The border is made of thicker material 

and uses a different weave. I’ve used different borders. 

On the first basket, I’ve used a platted border and a rand 

border (four behind two) on the waste paper basket and 

on the laundry basket too. 

Left: Soaking the willow in an outside trough. Above; weaving the 

border and, below, Bex with some of her finished items.

Visit to the Willow Farm in Somerset 

On our visit, they showed me how to strip willow the old-fashioned way, which meant stripping the willow one piece 

at a time. I’ve found out that you can make a VW Car out of willow and there is one in Germany. We were shown a 

video on how willow grows, how they made their business and became well-known. They only employ eight people, 

making things and preparing the willow. They have created a machine now to strip the willow. They also make a lot of 

willow coffins because they are cheaper and easier to make, but I want to be buried at sea. They have a museum and I 

showed them photos of my work and they said that my small basket might fetch £7 or so. I enjoyed the trip. 

Tom 

The visit to the willow farm was very interesting and I enjoyed myself. I went around the museum and they had lots 

of baskets and information on how to make them. They also had a lot of willow furniture, including the old salmon 

traps that they still use in the River Severn. A lady gave us a tour and showed us how the willow is processed and into 

the workshops where we saw them making different items. We had some lunch in the café and it was nice food. There 

were quite a few visitors popping in and out. Their place is in the countryside and it took us quite a few hours to get 

there, but it was a very nice day out. We went on a walk into a field of willow and had our pictures taken in the lovely 

summer day. They have also made structures out of live willow, such as a bench, and we all sat on it. I think it’s good 

to make things out of willow. 

Bex 

Students enjoying a day out at the Willow and 

Wetlands Centre in Somerset including sitting in a 

willow alcove, a new form of low carbon travel and 

willow masks for fencing, old-style. 

15

16 

Whittle Tang 

What is Whittle Tang? 

Richard Beatson, Tutor Explains 

Whittle Tang is the name of a style of cutlery that was the 

first mass production in Sheffield at the turn of the 19th 

Century. Whittle Tang involves stamping knives, forks 

and spoons out of metal sheets and the process became 

mechanised in order to increase volume and produce 

many more items. Before that, items were hand-forged, 

such as we are still doing at Spoon-forging at Freeman 

College, though we still finish the items in the traditional 

way. 

From left: Rebecca, Support Worker, Naomi, Joe 

and Richard in the Whittle Tang nerve centre 

Over the past three years, the machinery in our 

workshop has been completely restored with the help 

of students and laid out to create a production line. 

Now we can make a full range of silver-plated cutlery, 

including cream ladles, tea, sugar and olive spoons, 

knives and fish forks. We hope to liaise with some of 

the remaining cutlery companies in Sheffield to borrow 

tooling to make other items. Much of this tooling has 

disappeared completely as the trade has contracted. 

In Whittle Tang, we learn to work as a team, increase 

employability skills, use hand tools and machinery. 

We clearly have to learn about Health & Safety and 

I deliver an NOCN called Introduction to Skills for 

Employability. We learn a lot about engineering through 

the maintenance of the machinery and understanding 

how things work. As these machines often don’t start 

first time, we have to fault find and sort out the problem. 

It is a good way for students to achieve something and 

make something with an actual value, which we can sell 

on. For instance, we sell olive spoons for as little as £5, 

and up to £60 for a solid silver cream ladle. 

Our products are currently on sale in the gallery at the 

Academy of Makers, but we hope that there will soon be 

a shop on Arundel Street. We also sell at the Christmas 

Fair at Stirling Works as well as a summer fair. We are 

also involved in the Victorian Christmas being held at 

Kelham Island Museum in Sheffield. I am confident that 

we can develop our production in Whittle Tang as well as 

providing an educational curriculum. 

Joe, 2nd-year 

I am enjoying Freeman College and like felting, weaving, 

balm-making and Eyam Farm. In Whittle Tang, we have 

been making teaspoons and olive spoons. We stamp 

them out on a stamping machine, file them to get rid of 

the rough edges and then we sand and polish them whilst 

they are still flat. There is a machine called a bowling 

press which makes the shape of the spoon. When it has 

been shaped, we finally polish it again. The spoon is made 

of brass and we take them to a silver plater in Sheffield. 

Their building is very old and dirty, with lots of small

workshops, but they wouldn’t let us in to the plating 

areas to let us see how they do it as apparently it is a 

trade secret. When the spoons come back, we polish 

them with silver polish and put them in plastic bags. 

I enjoy doing this work as it is relaxing and I feel that I 

have achieved something. Each spoon is stamped with a 

different number and we make a note in a book, as well 

as which student made it. 

Naomi, 3rd-year 

Freeman College has been fantastic and I’ve enjoyed 

jewellery with tutors Gill and Nick. I’ve made a ring 

and a bracelet and I’ve also enjoyed spoon-forging and 

getting the hang of using the hammer. I’ve done some 

Whittle Tang and made some knives and teaspoons. I’ve 

helped with the stamping, cutting and polishing, as well 

as bowling. It feels good to make things. 

I’ve also found the choir quite superb as I get to sing 

songs that I like. We are learning Christmas songs at the 

moment and sang for the college at Michaelmas. 



Life On or By the Ocean Waves 

with Angie Iversen and Andy Whitehouse 

Student Journey Managers, Freeman College 

The third year is all about transition for students and group 

activities are designed to encourage them to think as a team 

as well as a source of support for each other. At the end of 

the last term we took the leaving students raft building at 

Carsington Water and they enjoyed it. Building on that, we 

thought it would a good idea to introduce it at the beginning 

of the academic year and encourage team-building from the 

start. We took three groups for one session and had diverse 

experiences. Whilst a number of students approached it 

with anxiety, they universally had a strong sense of achievement 

in completing the activity and has set them up well as 

teams. The experience was also very enjoyable. 

Andy & Angie showing the way to enforced volunteering 

The third years are also doing voluntary work in conjunction 

with the River Stewardship Company on the Tinsley canal. 

Work includes litter picking, clearing the briar and overgrowth 

and generally maintaining the borders and pathways. 

As a progression, we have asked the River Stewardship 

Company if we can be given responsibility of a section of 

the canal not only to keep it tidy but to plant wild flowers. 

We would also like to introduce bird boxes that would be 

made at our new site High Riggs. This work is really about 

third-year students learning to give something back into the 

community and reinforcing the sense of being able to ‘give 

away’. Helen Hornby from the River Stewardship Company 

joins us for each session to oversee the work safely and we 

all are kitted out with life jackets and they have also undertaken 

thorough risk assessments. Though still in the early 

stages, we are very excited about this project. 

17

18 

Black History Month 

by Francine, 2nd-year 

A Celebration at 

Glasshouse College 

Every October there is an event called Black History 

Month where we celebrate important black people such 

as Martin Luther King Junior, Bob Marley and Maya 

Angelou. On Thursday 21st October, Glasshouse 

students and staff took part in a presentation. Pauline, 

my support worker, and I talked to students and staff 

about contributing to the black history celebration and 

encouraged several to get involved. 

Third year student Nathaniel Bishop drew a portrait of a 

young boy for a poster saying “everyone is a hero no 

matter what colour you are”. A few support workers 

gave a speech about their black heroes, and we also 

tasted African and Caribbean food which was Jollof rice, 

jerk chicken rice and peas. Kirsty, another student sang 

in the performance and tutor, Tom Cheney did a speech 

about Martin Luther King. Sammi Carter did a speech 

on Bob Marley, Ben did a speech about Nelson Mandela 

and Barry, a support worker, introduced the speakers 

and thanked everyone for attending, taking part and 

doing the research. 

I thought the event was good and I look forward to 

doing this again next year and I must say thanks to Chris 

Day who helped with all the posters and Gail Hickman 

for helping to organize the event. 

Pics: Top to bottom: A portrait of a young boy 

drawn by Nathaniel. 

Ben doing his speech about Nelson Mandela 

Kirsty and Mike performing 

Below: Food tasting by staff and students 


Run of the Mill ~ Winter 2010

My Driving Experience 

by Rhys, 3rd-year 

In the summer holidays I had a birthday gift - to drive a 

Lamborghini Gallardo and a Mitsubishi Evo 8 and at the 

end to drive a Renault Clio by doing handbrake turns 

around a track. The night before I was going to drive I 

was so excited and nervous that I could not sleep. 

The next day I was really nervous and even more 

excited. Before I got there my nan and granddad came 

with me to watch me drive the cars. When we got there 

my dad got lost then we found the right place as you 

drive up to it there were people flying gliders. 

When we finally got there I saw a Ferrari, a Ferrari 

convertible, an Audi R8 and there was a Mitsubishi Evo 

8 two Lamborghinis and an Aston Martin. There was 

also a Ford rally car and two Subaru Imprezzas. When 

we got out of the car we were called into the 

instructor’s room with lots of other people and met the 

driving instructors. They sorted all of us into groups of 

three and told us which driving instructors we were 

driving with, then my mom and I went into the café to 

see my family and tell them what’s happening. All of a 

sudden my group was called to drive so we headed out 

to the track to drive a Mitsubishi Evo 8 (above). When 

it was my turn my heart was pounding and my hands 

and feet were shaking but I drove onto the track. As I 

was driving, I saw a photographer taking pictures of 

everybody driving. Then I saw a long stretch of road at 

which point the instructor told me to speed up so I put 

my foot down on the accelerator. It felt and sounded 

amazing. To begin with I was very nervous but after a 

while with encouragement from my instructor I became 

more confident and drove really well. I then started to 

enjoy driving the supercar and I found it fun to drive. 

After lots of laps around the track I slowed down and 

parked near the other cars. I had learned a lot about 

controlling the car. I learned even more when we were 

taken around the track in the Ford rally car. 

Soon after that my group was called again and there it 

was, finally the Lamborghini Gallardo - it was bright 

yellow! I was last to drive it. It sounded amazing! I 

put my foot down straight away and drove around the 

track again and again before parking up. As I got out of 

the car, I had my picture taken with the car (left). 

After that I went to collect my souvenir pictures and a 

video on CD, then it was off to drive a sporty Renault 

Clio. I drove around the track a few times before the 

instructor showed me how to do a hand-brake turn. All 

of a sudden he put it into gear and told me to pull the 

hand brake and turn the wheel at the same time then I 

drove around the corners again and again drifting 

around the track. All you could hear was the screeching 

of the tyres. It was a thrilling day!

20 

Independent Living at Bank Cottage 

Since its refurbishment in June 2008, Bank Cottage has become a centre for Independent 

Living Skills on the campus, providing facilities for both daytime provision and a flat in 

which students can spend up to a week living independently with appropriate support. 

Joss and Ashley reflect on their skills whilst knocking up a meal for the editor. 

Joss, 3rd-year 

Joss in the flat kitchen grating the cheese 

with Ashley digesting the recipe 

I’ve have been living in households with house-parents 

for the past two years and had to show willing and able 

to be more independent to come into Bank Cottage. 

During this time, I’ve learnt loads of cooking skills and 

many other skills, including independent travel on bus 

and trains. I only started travelling on a train recently 

and am working my way up to travelling home on my 

own. 

During my time in Bank Cottage, I have to work to a 

budget and go shopping in Nailsworth where I get an 

allowance in Green Spirit, as well as £15 in cash. I’ve 



spent the money mostly on food. I have to cook for 

myself, get to college on time and keep the flat clean. 

I’ve invited a number of visitors, including Dan, my 

Student Journey Manager, Will from Run of the Mill and 

my friends Ashley and Andrew (both 3rd-years). Ashley 

is going to help me with cooking a tuna pasta bake 

because he is a good cook. Cooking has been the area 

I’ve worried about most when coming to an independent 

living flat, as it is my hardest challenge but I have found 

this experience to be very useful, especially as I am in my 

last year at Ruskin Mill College. 

When I leave, I will be going to Yeovil College in 

Somerset to do woodwork and I would really like to do 

some hot glass if I can find a course. Eventually I would 

like my own place to live in. 

Ashley, 3rd-year 

I’ve been living in Stroud with house-parents David and 

Nagako, which has been going well. I will be staying 

in Bank Cottage for a full week in the summer term. 

I’ve learnt a lot of cooking skills and I can make a mean 

spaghetti bolognaise and Thai curry, as well as homemade 

soup. I can make all of those without any help. 

Being at Ruskin Mill College has helped me in many ways 

and it has been my path to independence. I feel that I will 

ready to leave when the time comes and I plan to live 

independently in a house or flat. 

Left: Team work is finally rewarded as, above, 

Joss serves Ashley with a pasta meal after college, 

leaving plenty of time to enjoy some leisure time.



Living Skills with Joshua, 3rd-year 

Before Ruskin Mill College, I was at Secondary school who recommended that 

I came here because I needed more support in my education. In my first year, I 

had a support worker but I can now cope on my own. 

I am a residential student and I live in Stroud. It is what is known as a Team 

House where different support workers come in. This has helped me a lot as 

I can now do my laundry, cook, clean-up, and support my friends. I can do 

independent travel but I need help for new routes on the bus. It has been good 

for me to try out a few different sorts of houses, away from my parents. They 

live North of Gloucester. 

My cooking skills have improved and I have learnt health and hygiene. I’ve 

worked in the Horsley Mill Canteen and the Woodland Kitchen. I have Living 

Skills and my tutor, Helen Bower says that I am getting on really well. 

Helen says ‘Joshua has been very enthusiastic with his preparations to go into 

the Training Flat. Joshua can manage the complex jobs in the kitchen. He 

is good at being in charge of a meal. He is learning to put his energies into 

realistic and practical challenges’. 

To go into the training flat I have to cook three meals on my own, do the 

cleaning, get up for college on my own, and take my medication. I have ADHD 

and am being assessed for Aspergers Syndrome. I am also learning to budget 

which I am getting better at. 

My main challenge is to keep my feet on the ground and I would like to be a 

chef in a restaurant. I would like to live as independently as possible and I hope 

to start getting driving lessons at college. At college I have learnt to have my 

own freedom. I feel much happier, relaxed and sociable, but I want to do lots 

before I leave. 

My Time in Bank Cottage 

My week in Bank Cottage has 

been quite stressful, having to go 

shopping and do the cooking. My 

cooking has been going great and I 

made a Moroccan lamb on Tuesday, 

lasagne on Thursday and salmon tonight. 

We’ve been trying to keep to 

budget, but it is difficult doing the 

administration side. I’ve also done 

my laundry and we clean up after 

ourselves. I want to live in a flat on 

my own when I leave Ruskin Mill 

College, as I’ve learnt more independence skills, such as travelling on my 

own, handling money and cooking. Ashley and I have been coping well 

together this week. 

21

22 

Above: The bow making 

workshop on a beautiful 

day on the edge of 

Sheffield. Right: 

The green woodwork 

workshop during lunch 

break. 

High Riggs the first step 

Emma Dent, Tutor & Project Manager, 

Runs Over the Foundations 

Since we bought High Riggs, we started work on the 

site in July in preparation for the arrival of students in 

September. We spent most of the summer getting rid of 

brash and clearing the site. This included starting work 

on the Iron Age Forge site, which required shifting a lot 

of hardcore. 

The caravan which we use at the moment for storage 

and cooking, was delivered towards the end of summer 

as we were completing the green woodwork and bowmaking 

workshops. The students have really helped with 

setting up the place too, such as making footpaths, laying 

woodchip floors, getting firewood, making a target range 

for the bow-makers and generally getting involved. 

Now we are starting to think ahead, preparing a shelter 

where we can eat together and building a clay oven. 

Then we need to build a shelter for Country Crafts, 

develop the forge and prepare for a pottery workshop. 

This site is perfect for pottery as there is plenty of clay 

on site. 

The Market Garden area is continuing as a business run 

by Michelle and Trevor, the previous owners, who spent 

the last fifteen years developing the site. We are now 

developing the lower end of High Riggs as an educational 

centre. Anthony Walker is trainee manager in the Market 

Garden and we hope to carry on some of the good work 

that Michelle and Trevor have set up. 

This project offers an 

amazing opportunity 

for our educational 

projects, as well as 

training workshops for 

the general public. We 

intend to keep this site 

green and organic and 

use renewable energy Emma, left, and the team building the new eating shelter 

sources. We are 

liaising with the local community, of which Michelle and 

Trevor are very much a part. 

Neil Trinder, Green Woodwork Tutor 

We started to move here at the end of July from Tintagel 

House, where I used to hold my green woodwork 

sessions. We had a local company build our old 

workshop as we were in a hurry to get this project going, 

Lewis demonstrating the use of a shaving horse, with Neil

ut now we are building our own structures. 

It’s great being out here and this land offers many 

possibilities. 

I want to be involved in coppicing, growing standard 

trees and charcoal making. We’ve spent the first few 

weeks of this term setting up the workshop, getting the 

lathes in place and putting up our new storage shed. 

We’ve also made some bird boxes as part of connecting 

with the environment around us. 

The students are brilliant especially with teamwork. 

They’ve done fantastically well with the new shelter 

which will have a tarpaulin over it this winter and we 

will build up the rest in springtime. We’re thinking of 

making furniture for the Market Garden at High Riggs 

and I think that this project is a stunning opportunity for 

the college. 

Lunch break means a kettle 

over a wood fire and a bit of 

pole lathing with Alex, above, 

and Lewis, right. 

Alex, 1st-year 

This is my fifth week 

at Freeman College 

and it’s amazing. 

It’s really interesting and there are a huge amount of 

activities here. On my time table, I have three days 

a week at High Riggs and I am also doing printing, 

papermaking, copper-spinning and story-telling. I am a 

residential student at Tintagel House, which is brilliant 

and we all get along. I really like drawing and animation, 

so Mum looked at artistic colleges and found Freeman 

College and when I came for a visit, it was pretty 

awesome. Story-telling, drawing, film and photography 

are sessions I will want to do. At High Riggs, I’ve 



been making 

windbreaks, 

putting the 

base down 

for the Green 

Woodworking 

shed and we’ve 

started putting 

in the posts 

Keeping things level-headed through building for the new 

dining shelter. 

I’ve started doing some green woodwork and my dad is 

really into woodwork and wood-turning. I found using 

the pole-lathe fairly easy and the most difficult part has 

been getting the chisel at the right level. We’ve also been 

clearing the forested area at High Riggs and some of the 

wood will be used for fires and some for bow-making. 

Lewis, 1st-year 

I’ve been enjoying being at Freeman College and have 

been doing woodwork, horticulture and working at High 

Riggs. I’ve started doing a bit of bow-making, making 

baseball bats in green woodwork and generally helping 

out. I’ve been helping with the new building with things 

such as sawing, measuring and digging holes. I‘ve also 

helped to weave a fence made out branches from our 

trees. 

Emily, 3rd-year 

I feel that I have gained a lot of experience and learnt 

more about myself and feel stronger being at Freeman 

College. I would like to work with animals when I 

leave and also with crafts and horticulture. I’ve enjoyed 

jewellery, weaving and art since I’ve been here and it has 

all strengthened me. At High Riggs, I’ve been working 

with Emma chopping down trees and using the willow 

that is grown here to make fences. I’ve also helped with 

the digging as well as with Steve, the cook, with clearing 

and washing up in the caravan after lunch. 

23

24 

Animal Husbandry at Gables Farm 

Stuart Cragg, Tutor, 

With Progress on the Farm 

We’re aiming to breed 25 ewes from about 70 sheep 

on the farm. They are sheep from the Lleyn Peninsula, 

in Anglesey, Wales. It has taken about four years to 

build the flock and all the ewes have bred on the farm 

and lambing is a highlight of our season, in which the 

students get involved. We keep this particular breed of 

sheep because the wool is feltable in the first three years 

and is used in our weaving and felt-making workshops. 

They also produce quite a good quantity of meat and 

some of last year’s lambs are now ready for butchering. 

The meat is sold at our college shop, Gables Grocery 

Store, either as half-lambs in boxes or as diced or minced 

lamb. The sheep do not grow too big, so they can be 

easily handled by the students. 

We have Gloucester cattle on the farm and the herd has 

been built up over many years. This year, we have up to 

36 cows and are now in a good position to sell and breed. 

This is a beef herd, as currently we do not have dairy 

facilities, and this type of cow 

is also fairly easy to handle. 

We have two breeding sows, 

a Gloucester Old Spot and 

a large Black. The pigs are 

used for meat and sold to 

staff and students via Gables 

Grocery Store. We also 

keep chickens and Hamish 

(a tutor) has recently set up 

an incubator to hatch eggs 

and bring on the chicks to 

lay eggs or for table birds. 

We currently have around 40 chickens and one of our 

biodynamic apprentices (Kieran) is fattening up nine 

turkeys for Christmas, as part of his apprentice project. 

For the students, we offer a number of BTEC landbased 

courses and qualifications around the farm, which 

are part of the foundation programme. I also offer, in 

combination with Alan Hughes (tutor), a more vocational 

course as an NVQ in Farming & Woodlands. The NVQ is 

more of a pathway to work or placements in mainstream 

colleges. 

I feel that the past few years’ work has paid off and 

Gables Farm is more or less at full capacity as far as the 

livestock is concerned and we now need to look at how 

we manage the production and sustainability of a mixed 

farm with the land available. 

George, 2nd-year 

I’ve been working on the farm since my first year. I feed 

the sheep and check them to see if they are healthy. I’ve 

also been feeding the pigs, 

doing some work with the 

cows and working with the 

horses with Kai (tutor). I’ve 

also been involved in planting 

vegetables and harvesting 

them and enjoy working on 

them as I like being in the 

open air. 

Top: Moving the herd with 

Stuart, Martin and Harley and, 

left, Josh working the horses.

Harley, 3rd-year, driving and unloading the cows into their new field. 

Eddie, 2nd-year 

This is my second year of working on the farm and I 

love it, as I would like to have my own little farm in the 

future. I like working with all the animals and we have 

to move them around the farm from one field to another 

fairly often. We also have to make sure that they are 

healthy, feed them and check for things like worms. The 

lambs and pigs do hurt themselves sometimes, but we 

can usually deal with the problems. 

I am preparing to do a course in driving tractors at 

the Rural Skills Centre in Cirencester. I love working 

outside and hate being indoors. 

The vet came recently to test the cows for TB, as well as 

to treat a cow with white-eye. The vet returned three 

days later to check the results of the test and clear the 

herd. 

Hamish Guerrini, Farm Tutor 

Every year we need to bump up or increase the numbers 

of chickens we have at Gables Farm. The old chickens 

who have finished laying normally go into the pot and 

new layers are required. Most laying birds stop laying 

when they are two years old. 



Every layer lays one egg a day, every 25 hours, 

irrespective of whether they have been with a cockerel 

or not, but in order for an egg to be fertilised, a cockerel 

is required. As laying chickens lay a hour later every day, 

they stop once they’ve reached a certain clutch of 12-15 

eggs. Chickens do not lay eggs at night. 

Naturally, chickens are ready to sit on their eggs and 

become broody and, when they do, incubation takes 21 

days. Interestingly, the egg is designed so that the fat 

end is facing upwards during incubation, which enables 

a small pocket of air to develop, which the chick uses 

when hatching. 

Now we have an incubator in the horticulture barn, 

which enables us to breed new chicks and it is a fail-safe 

system. We currently have sixteen chicks from a batch of 

20, where three never hatched and one died. The chicks 

will stay in the hatchery for six weeks and then go out 

into the chicken run, where in turn they will become 

layers. 

James, 1st-year 

I am really enjoying it at Ruskin Mill College and I like 

looking after the chickens, as well as Iron Age Forge and 

Green Woodwork. I also like my tutorials with Rob, my 

student journey manager. 

Hamish and James tending the chicks, who seemed remarkably happy 

having just been out on show at the local school. 

25

26 

I am a residential student and I’ve settled in really well 

and I enjoy my house-parents. In the household, I cook 

one day a week and help with cleaning the house. 

On the farm, I’ve been feeding the chickens, looking 

after their bedding and looking for any eggs laid. We also 

have to check to see which chickens are or are not laying. 

To do this, we check the crest combs on the tops of their 

heads and if they are dried up and starting to go blue, 

they probably have stopped laying. If their combs are red 

and warm to the touch, they are more likely to be layers. 

I make sure that they have plenty of water and I have 

really enjoyed working the chickens and the chicks, 

which are really cute, especially when I help to feed 

them. 

Peter Skinner, Tutor 

Daniel upgrading the pig house, overseen by Peter, and, top, Daniel 

and James having some quality time with the Old Spots. 

This has been a busy half-term with the pigs. The large 

black sow we bought from a local farm in the summer 

now has five healthy, one-month-old piglets. Our Old 

Spot sow is ready to give birth in the next couple of 

weeks. We have one young Old Spot boar from her last 

litter and recently sent off his three sisters for meat. 

They were sold quickly as mixed pork boxes from Gables 

shop to house-parents and other staff. Some have gone 

into lunches in the canteens and forest kitchen, with 

people appreciating their flavour. 

Caring for and feeding the pigs forms a good daily 

rhythm for students on the farm as well as being part of 

the new qualification that they are doing. The pigs happily 

eat all the extra bits we can’t use as well such as fodder 

beet and grain we grow for animal feed. They are thus 

integrated into the farm organism with very little extra 

food brought. 

We also recently finished cladding the first pig house 

to be warmer for the winter and are part of the way 



through building a second pig house with the help of John 

Syrer and his Building Studies students. 

James, 1st-year 

I need to check every day, straw bedding, water and feed 

the pigs vegetables like carrots, beetroots and fodderbeet. 

I also feed them ground oats from the farm. We need to 

check the pigs’ health. 

I went to the abattoir on the Forest of Dean. We got out 

of the Land Rover and opened the back. Three Old Spots 

went out of the trailer and into the building. After about 

three weeks, the meat came back to Gables shop. I ate 

sweet and sour pork at the Forest Kitchen from them. 

Kieran, biodynamic apprentice, nurturing his nine turkeys, Eddie 

shepherding, whilst the Lleyn sheep take their photo opportunity.

Falconry 

by Kristian, 3rd-year 

Each Monday afternoon a group of two students go to 

Falconry offsite at Muckley Farm, Bridgnorth, to learn 

how to handle, feed and look after birds of prey, such as 

hawks and owls. 

We have to wear gloves and use special equipment to 

handle birds such as Jesses, a tracking device and food. 

The first thing to realise is these birds have to get used to 

you and handling them correctly means they will get 

used to you, making it easier to fly them. Before we fly 

the birds you have to weigh them. If the birds are too 

full they won’t be able to fly and won’t be motivated to 

come back which they are more likely to do if they are 

hungry. 

The second process is when they are ready to fly we put 

a tracking device on the bird to track its movements. 

We then take them over to the field and start to fly 

them. When flying the birds the important key skill to 

learn is communication because the birds start to recognise 

your voice and will obey your instructions to return 

to you. Another key skill to learn is getting along with 

the birds. If they aren’t treated fairly, they get distressed 

and will snap 

at you! The tracking 

devices help us to find 

the birds if they go 

missing in a tree and 

this reduces the risk of 

losing the birds and 

we also put little bells 

on the birds to hear 

where they are. 

The third process is 

how to fly the birds. 

The group spreads out 

on the field, and you hold the bird with your elbows 

bent and hand slightly up. The bird will stay on your 

hand and then the person standing opposite you will call 

the bird’s name and show it some food. The bird will 

then start to fly to the other person. You let your arm 

out to allow the bird to move off and the bird will fly to 

the other person if they see some food in their hands. 

We use dead chicks to feed the birds. We have to prepare 

them and freeze them otherwise they will smell 

revolting. We chop the chicks’ heads off and then their 



Here I am 

with Sam the 

Harris Hawk, 

one of several 

birds of prey 

we can fly. 

legs. It sounds 

disgusting but 

you will have 

to get used to 

it, so be prepared. Then you put the dead chicks into a 

small container so you will be able to feed the birds 

whilst flying them at the same time. 

Bryan agreed to bring some of his birds and other 

animals to the college to help us raise money for our 

minibus fund. 

Above: on the right is Bryan, the falconer who teaches us 

how to fly and handle birds properly, and I am holding 

Juicy Lucy the owl. 

Left: Juicy Lucy, the barn owl, who is quite shy but who 

gets used to you when handled properly. 

Below: Jessica, 3rd year, holds Sam, the Harris Hawk, in 

preparation for flying her. 

27

28 

The New Forge Launched 

Following on from the successful rebuild of the Greenwood Workshop in 2008, the College turned its attention to the 

dilapidated Iron Age Forge. Local architect David Austin & Associates produced a new design and the build started in 

March 2010. The new Forge workshop is made of locally sourced larch, blends into its woodland setting and offers 

more internal working space for blacksmithing. The decorative and functional ironwork that ventilates the workshop 

was designed and made by staff and students. Everybody, the students, tutors and volunteers, worked hard on the 

project and it was completed in July 2010. Old and newly purchased tools and equipment were installed in time for 

the new academic year. This excellent and much needed workshop is ready to 

benefit thousands of people in years to come including young people with learning 

difficulties and disabilities, teacher training groups, overseas visitors and the general 

public including local school children. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the 

following funding bodies who made this project possible: 

Inset top: Glass, inset into the ironwork, created by David 

Flower. Above: David Flower, Jim Hannis who supplied 

the wood, Marc Mackay, builder, Sian Williams, Stephie 

3rd-year and Garrick Nelson, Forge tutor. Right: David 

Austin, Architect, George Bastin, Worshipful Company 

of Ironmongers, Michael Frosch, Principal, Stephen 

Robinson, Mayor of Nailsworth, Siân Williams, students 

and staff at the launch. Below: Forge tutor Garrick, who 

also oversaw the ironwork with students, with Stephie, , 

demonstrating the age-old craft. 

CHK Charities Ltd – The build of the Forge workshop 

The Santander Foundation – Tools and equipment 

including restoration of the heritage bellows 

The Ironmongers’ Foundation – The decorative and functional ironwork 

Siân Williams, Head of Fundraising & Development

Arian Leljak, Tutor, On The New Forge 

The benefits of the new Forge building have been to have 

a clear and safer space which is easier for students to use. We 

have improved the light, as well as being in a beautiful and 

well-crafted physical space, which is an inspiring structure. It’s 

also very nice looking at the pieces of work, such as the grills 

made by student Chris, which is an example to other students 

of what can be achieved when working with metal since his first 

year. These grills are now being copied and produced by Chris. 

We now have 25% increased working capacity with 

four forges. We have fully-functioning bellows and forge 

technologies spanning from Iron Age via Medieval, to Victorian 

and early 20th century. 

We have made a good start in developing this workshop 

and we are starting the process of making our own tool-racks, 

charcoal bins, storage for recycling steel and we need a few 

benches and a table in order to be able to sit around and have a 

good social space. I am very pleased with the beauty and clarity 

of the space, and would like to thank Siân for her fundraising 

efforts, Marc Mackay and his building team and Garrick and 

Chris for the ironwork. David’s stunning piece of stained glass 

rounds it off nicely. 

Liam, 2nd-year 

The new forge has a lot more space to walk and move 

around in. It feels much better because it is better protected 

from the elements than the old forge. I’ve been working with 

the forge since I arrived at Ruskin Mill College and have made 

things like hooks, toasting forks, key-rings, hangers and a knife. 

I’m currently working on a knife and I’m flattening out the 

edges. I heat up the metal in the forge and use the bellows to 

get the fire going. When the metal becomes bright-orange, I 

take it over to the anvil and shape it with a hammer. Once I’ve 

made the knife shape, I will make a handle out of wood and 

finally finish it off. 

I enjoy Iron Age Forge as it helps me to improve my 

confidence, reactions and strength and I learn how to use tools 

properly. It also helps me to keep calm because I am doing and 

achieving something. 

Tractor maintenance has also helped me as I have been able 

to cope with working with loud machines, as well as improving 

my confidence. Being at Ruskin Mill has been good and I take 

each days as it comes. 

Matthew, 1st-year 



Iron Age Forge has been brilliant. I am making a coat hook 

for the first time and the challenge is to replicate another hook. 

I would like to make a set of forging tools, such as a fire rake, 

poker, toasting fork, shovel and tongs. I didn’t know anything 

about Iron Age Forge before and I’m really enjoying learning 

the skills. 

Images of the build 

and above, Matthew 

on his replica hook 

project and right, 

Liam working the 

newly restored 

bellows with the forge 

fuelled by charcoal 

made by students. 

29

30 

The Forge 

by Ryan and Louis, 1st-years 

In the forge we first watched a demonstration from 

Chris, the Forge Tutor, on how to make a fire poker. 

Before we did any work ourselves we had to learn about 

health and safety and how to use tools correctly. 

We learnt that the metal needed to reach approximately 

500 degrees Celsius before it started to change colour. 

This meant we had to hold our hand above the metal 

before picking it up to check if it was too hot. We also 

had to wear an apron, plus a glove on the hand we held 

the metal with. 

When I started to make a fire poker I first had to mark 

50 cm on a bar of steel with chalk and saw it with a hack 

saw. I then needed to heat the bar in the forge until it 

turned bright orange and then hammer the end into a 

point. To do this I needed to hold the bar close to the 

anvil face at an angle and hit each side of the bar the 

same number of times. I also had to make sure I hit the 

metal at the same angle it was held. 

After bringing the end to a point I heated the other end 

and hit it over the beak of the anvil. This curved the 

metal around into a loop which put an eye at the top of 

the poker. I then 

heated the centre 

of the bar and put it 

in a vice so I could 

twist it with a 

wrench. This put a 

twist in the centre 

of the poker. 

Ryan cutting metal to size in the vice 



I have enjoyed this 

session so much 

that I will now be 

doing Iron Age 

Forge as my Core 

Subject next term. 

Lighting 

The Forge 

To start the fire 

on the forge you 

need to get about 

six pieces of 

newspaper, wrap 

them loosely into a 

ball, lay it on the 

forge and then set 

it alight. You then need to stick some 

charcoal on the fire but not too much 

so you don’t stop oxygen getting to 

it. Once the fire has grown slightly, 

you use the blower to get more 

oxygen into it. This increases the size 

of the fire significantly, in which it 

will then be hot enough for you to 

heat steel. 

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT 

Tongs: Used to hold hot steel. 

Anvil: to shape hot steel on with a hammer 

Ball peen hammer: Used to hit steel. 

Punch: Used to make perfect round holes. 

Chisel: Used to split steel. 

Swage block: Used to shape metal. 

Goggles: Used to keep eyes safe. 

Vice: Used to hold steel firmly. 

Hacksaw: Used to cut steel. 

Gloves: Used to protect hands. 

Steel toe cap boots: Used to protect feet. 

Aprons: Used to protect clothes and body. 

Left to right: 

Swage Block 

Anvil 

Vice 

Ryan shaping metal on the anvil 

The forge after lighting

Liam ‘s ‘Dora Mar au Chat’ by Picasso, 

in oil pastels 

Glasshouse College & Freeman College 


Art at Freeman College 

with Tutor, Caroline Ashworth 

Joe on Monet’s ‘Bridge over Water 

Lillies’, in acrylic 

Left: Chris’s version of Vincent van 

Gogh’s ‘Starry Night over the Moon’ 

in acrylic with palette knife. 

Right: Liam’s 

‘Cliffs at Etretat by Monet 

in acrylic. 

Jonathan’s ‘Les Demoiselles 

d’Avignon’ by Picasso, in oil pastels 

31

32 

Manfred in concert at Christchurch, Nailsworth with his range of hand-made musical instruments 

Manfred Bleffert 

Instrument maker, composer & musician 

Introduction by Andrew Thompson, 

Music Tutor at Freeman College 

Following Manfred Bleffert’s visit last year, he returned 

to Freeman College in October to lead a two week 

instrument building project. This year a small group 

of students and tutors built glockenspiels in iron and 

copper. Each metal had to be worked using different 

processes, and a different feel developed for each 

material. In this way some of the different qualities 

of the two metals revealed themselves –for 

example copper more yielding and 

iron more robust. The same qualities 

were found in the sound when the 

finished bars were played. 

Alongside this, Manfred engaged 

himself with the whole College, 

revealing a lifetime’s experience 

in music and musical instrument 

construction. His work originally 

started from a wish to engage with 

Nature, and enable Nature’s substances 

to reveal themselves in sound and 

music: to let Nature sound! This he did in 

demonstrations to student groups, in five minutes with 

the staff group each morning, and a concert for the 

whole college. 

He also advised on the further development and 

mounting of the new Freeman College bell, and gave a 

morning workshop and evening concert for the public. 

Manfred’s visit is now an annual fixture and we look 

forward to further work next October, whilst in the 

meantime we have plenty to work on, in his absence. 

Above: Andy West, Spoon Forging tutor, 

with Simeon, 1st-year and Support 

Worker, Daniel Walker preparing parts for 

the glockenspiels. 

Below: Chrissie, 1st-year, annealing in 

George Evans’s workshop.

Interview with Manfred Bleffert 

My childhood was very important to me as the landscape 

became part of my music and I was able to listen to 

nature when I was 9 years. I also had an experience 

when I was in a choir of young boys. The conductor sent 

me to ring the bell in the tower where we were singing 

and I had to climb up into this dark space, and ring the 

bell. I experienced the sense of going from silence to the 

sound of the bell and back to silence again, which gave 

me a strong feeling of a higher world. This was a strong 

influence for my work of bringing together the elements 

of metal and the world of sound. The meeting of these 

two through ringing a bell makes the world change where 

the elements are drawn up to meet the descending higher 

world which made it feel like a form of sacrifice. I had 

the same experience in the choir where the human voice 

and the organ meet in the centre. So up to the age of 12 

years, music felt like a gift from the higher world. 

Another important realisation was that I wanted to take 

music of the past, for instance, 11th and 12thC music 

that I was playing in piano lessons, and bring it into the 

modern era and become a composer. So my task was 

to listen to the modern world, start composing and 

finding new ways of playing the piano. At 16 years, I 

formed groups of young boys, in my spare time, to create 

new music and explore improvisation. I also explored 

electronic music, built my own machines and mixed this 

with some old instruments. 

I then met Stockhausen and sent him some of my music. 

I decided to put aside my electronic music and started 

composition in silence through which to create my own 

sounds and make new instruments out of wood, metal 

and stone. I needed an answer to the silence and find 

sounds of the earth, real sounds to create the old music 

in a new way including those from other cultures such as 

Greece and India, for example. 

I started to create percussive music instruments in metal 

and wood to express the spirit found in the cosmos and 

the natural world. I wanted to create tones between 

groupings of sounds through the instruments I had made. 

Electronic music is not real in the sense of being of the 

earth and therefore does not connect the worlds of 

heaven and earth. Music gives freely to the human spirit 

and the earth but must have connection to both and the 

tones should be free of intellectual domination. 

Working this way drew me to work with staff and 


Run of the Mill ~ Summer 2010 

Above: Manfred holding an instrument session at Sterling Works. 

Below: Testing out the note on the recently made bell 

at Freeman College 

students at Freeman College as there is a social impulse 

to my work. It has now spread around the world and 

created what I see as musical sculptures. This in turn 

helps to create new community, a new common sense, 

a connection to the earth with the metals being the 

conduit to the cosmos. Therefore we create instruments 

with the students that they then can use in their 

experience of music at the college. I feel the influence of 

metal to the whole human being and this can help young 

people to develop their own forces to their incarnation 

and their individuality. They can become aware of these 

forces which helps them to understand themselves. We 

all have to fit into the world in an individual way, to 

find our paths in life. So I work with the students both 

individually and in groups to achieve this. They also can 

develop a sense to work together through listening and 

listening to the work creates a sense of working together. 

33

34 

Melvyn, second left, 

with staff & Sarah, 

right 

Fusion Café Excellence in Action 

Melvyn Jarman, Manager, 

Reveals The Menu for Success 

Fusion opened for a pilot launch in November 2008 to 

coincide with Galvanize. We were supposed to open for 

only a few months during which we were bidding for a 

grant, which was turned down, partially because of our 

level of success! Nevertheless, we remained open and 

we were voted best café in Sheffield in November 2009. 

We had also grown from a team of two to nine. Our 

trade has grown through word and mouth and led to a 

consistently busy lunch hour, and awards from BBC Olive 

magazine, Change 4 Life, MSN/Yahoo and a great article 

in the Guardian. We also managed 

to secure 5 stars from the Hygiene 

Authority, which is reassuring to us 

and our customers. 

We have always worked from 

our core principles as set in the 

initial plans: promoting organic, 

biodynamic, local and direct trade 

foods, promoting hand made artisan 

food, providing work experience 

to students of Freeman College and 

becoming a successful financially 

independent commercial operation 

(which we are on the brink of 

achieving). The struggle has been to 



make a profit, as we are competing with cheaper food 

outlets that use mass-produced products and therefore 

we have a high staff cost due to the labour-intensive 

techniques needed to create handmade food, as well as 

the fact that people are only prepared to spend so much 

at lunchtime. 

The next stage will be to build a separate kitchen in the 

back room adjacent to the café in order to fulfil our 

potential as a business. This will enable us to create a 

restaurant-bistro menu and open in the evenings. We are 

fairly sure that there will be good business as we are close 

to the centre of Sheffield and the theatre. We have had 

a few cultural events with music and 

poetry and we hope to develop this 

further. We have very loyal customers 

and this has kept us going. The new 

kitchen will also help to cater for the 

needs of students who come to us 

for work experience, as currently we 

only have the open kitchen, which 

gets very busy. The new setup would 

allow for work in ‘back of house’, 

where there is a lot less pressure, and 

students wouldn’t feel so exposed. 

Sarah, our latest work experience 

student, has got a great attitude to 

work and is willing, positive, wants to 

learn and is not phased by the level of



Above: Sarah serving lunches and a busy lunch hour with very good food at very reasonable prices! 

pressure during the lunch hour, which can be quite intense. I have an excellent team and that has made it possible for 

this café to grow as it has. Each member brings diverse skills which adds to the appropriateness of the name ‘Fusion’. 

We make absolutely everything ourselves, which is labour-intensive, but unique too. So when the lunch rush is over, 

we start preparing for the following day. It is hard work, but very rewarding. 

Work Experience with Sarah, 3rd-year 

I have been doing Work Experience in Fusion Café for four terms and I love it. It has been very good as it has helped 

me with my cooking skills, health and hygiene and it will help to get a job. I get on well with the staff and have got 

used to working in a small kitchen and I work really hard. It can get really busy at lunch but I just get on with the 

job, and it is a real job giving real work experience, a taste of the real world. The café is really well run. I enjoy all 

the things I do such as clearing the tables, washing up, making cakes and salads and serving the customers. They are 

usually very polite and appreciative. I got my first tip recently of £1 and decided to give it to the café. I start at 9 am 

and finish at 3.50 pm, which gives me time to change to go home. I usually start the day by making salads and cakes. 

I serve the customers and make them very welcome, and take the orders to the tables and help them if they need 

anything. I also like watching the team to see what skills I can pick up which I might need for the future. It is a really 

good work placement. 

My Visit to Freeman College 

By Richard, prospective student 

My visit there was really great; they have lots of practical sessions. They 

have balm-making (I made a soap ball) and horticulture, where I helped in 

the garden at Tintagel House with the wheelbarrow, by picking the ivy and 

putting it in the wheelbarrow took it to the ivy pile and then tipped up the 

wheelbarrow to dump the ivy to the pile. 

Other lessons I did were felting (right), where I made a red and green cloth, 

and weaving, where I made a green bead. After college hours, I did some 

leisure activities. On Monday, we went out on a walk through the museum and 

on Tuesday, we went to the cinema. 

The people were friendly and really nice to me. While I was at Freeman 

College, I saw some students from my school. So, overall, my visit was 

really great and I feel that it’s going to be great for my future education and 

independence. I am really looking forward to it. 

35

36 

George with the Low Handicap 

Takes Gold at the Special Olympics 

I started playing golf when I was 10 and I had lessons at 

the nearby club. I got into golf quite quickly and have 

been a member of Braille’s Golf Club for the last five 

years. I started with a high handicap and have gradually 

been bringing that down. I got into competitions and 

won quite a lot as my handicap gradually came down 

from 28 to 12, where it is now. I would like to get it 

down to single figures. 

People asked me if I could play in the Special Olympics, 

which I did, and recently I played on a course next to the 

I started playing rugby when I came to Ruskin Mill. The college found a club for me, it 

was Minchinhampton RFC. I play for the Rams who are the 

seconds. Last season I played most of the games but just had 

an injury this season. I play wing or flanker. I need to be fast 

and good at dodging. I have been in match reports in the 

newspaper. We train on a Tuesday and I played for the first 

team once last season and a few times this. Playing is a good 

laugh with the lads and it keeps me fit. After games we meet 

up and go to the pub and sing. At the end of last season, we 

had our celebration at the Halfway House. I won a doormat 

because I played for the first team and as well for the seconds. 

Chris, 3rd-year 



famous St. Andrews course and won the competition. It 

felt great. We were supposed to play two rounds, but 

one of them was rained off. It was very windy but also 

very exciting. Many teams took part, including Scotland, 

Ireland and Wales and we won a big glass crown and I got 

a real gold medal. 

At college, I’ve been playing a bit with Kevin, my houseparent, 

and I beat him easily. I absolutely love golf, as 

it’s a real skill, and I enjoy the company and playing with 

nice people. 

George, 1st-year 

Chris Tackles and Scrums for Fun 

George interviewed in his 

household with clubs and a 

trophy he won at Brailes Golf 

Club. 

Below: Chris playing rugby 

for Minchinhampton Rams.

Ruskin Mill Reception 

Working on the Front Line 

Charlie Tessloff, Office Skills Tutor 

Explains the Task 

Students who work with me in Office Skills at Ruskin 

Mill Reception do so as an Internal Work Experience 

placement. As a busy reception area, we always have 

plenty of work to be getting on with, this includes; 

helping visitors with enquiries, taking events bookings, 

answering the phone, sorting and delivering the college 

post, filing timetables, typing up the Coffee Shop lunch 

menu and a variety of other daily office jobs. 

We also complete office tasks for staff and students, 

these vary from photocopying, creating leaflets and 

spreadsheets, typing, and internet research, laminating, 

sending emails and making calls – we are happy to help 

with any non-confidential office tasks that they may have. 

Office Skills is a great session to do if you want to 

improve your confidence and team working skills, 

brush up on your typing skills and different computer 

programmes, learn about welcoming visitors, 

demonstrate your knowledge of correct behaviour in 



an office environment 

or learn more about 

making and receiving 

calls. 

Office Skills at Ruskin 

Mill will soon be 

relocating to the office 

downstairs, next to the 

gallery (on the right 

as you go out of the 

downstairs gallery door) 

where we will become 

the Ruskin Mill Visitors 

Centre and Gallery Reception – this will be an exciting 

time for students working with me to get involved in 

setting up the new office. 

Sara, 2nd-year 

I hadn’t had any experience with Office Skills before 

I came to college. I have learnt how to use different 

programs on the computer such as using the Internet 

for research and making the Coffee Shop menu with 

Widgets, which are pictures for people who have 

problems reading. I sort the post out and take it to the 

correct place or put it in the pigeon holes and pick-up 

internal post from Horsley Mill when we deliver there. 

My folder for Office Skills helps to remind me how to do 

things as I am doing Internal Work Experience. Visitors 

arrive at reception for appointments, deliveries, asking 

about the college or coming to exhibitions. I sometimes 

make photocopies. I answer the phone with “Ruskin 

Mill College” and ask who is calling and either put them 

through or take a message. I have to send emails to staff 

about work. 

I like working in Ruskin Mill reception and would like 

to do Work Experience in Nailsworth, which I have 

requested. 

37

38 

Painting & Decorating 

by Charlie, 3rd-year 

Hello, I’m back to tell you more 

about painting and decorating! 

You may remember that I wrote in a 

previous issue about the evening 

course I am doing and what I have been learning, such as 

painting doors and windows. Well now I’m back to tell 

you more! This time, I’d like to tell you about hanging 

wallpaper on walls and ceilings. 

First of all I’ll tell you how to paper a simple wall. Before 

I even start, I prepare myself with all my equipment, 

i.e. papering table, tape measure, brush, scissors, 

sponge etc. and of course paper. I’m first going to line 

my bare wall with lining paper, then add wallpaper on 

top of it later. 

To begin, measure the length of your lining paper and 

mark the measurement onto your wall, but you need to 

add one centimetre to allow for your paper to expand 

when you paste the paper I then make a chalk line horizontally 

where I have marked my measurement for my 

first length of paper to glue onto the wall. After I have 

done that, I measure the width of the wall and add ten 

centimetres for when I have extra waste of paper to cut 

to make a neater job on the wall. 

After I cut my piece of lining paper, then paste my paper 

and make a concertina fold which is a special fold used 

when you hang wallpaper horizontally on walls or ceilings. 

You then leave it to expand for five minutes; this 

is why I add an extra centimetre! I now start putting my 

lining paper onto the wall making sure I smooth down 

properly smoothing out blisters and bubbles and also 

leaving about five centimetres each side ready to trim 

neatly off. I repeat this process from the top of the wall 

to the bottom next to the skirting, then allow the paper 



Hanging wallpaper requires patience, skill 

and the right tools for the job. 

to dry before starting the wallpaper. The process is 

much the same for the wallpaper, but of course it is 

hung vertically and if you are using patterned paper you 

have to match the pattern so that it fits together neatly. 

Papering & Ceiling 

Now moving on papering your ceiling which is pretty 

much the same, but a lot trickier! You will need practically 

the same stuff; except you also need something 

called a crutch stick. This is a tube with a bit of sticky 

paper on which helps you support the paper when 

you’re applying it to the ceiling and smoothing it down 

because without it, it is very awkward - you’d need at 

least three hands! You will also need access equipment 

such as trestles and a staging board (as in the picture on 

the left). This makes it easier for you to put wallpaper 

up, saves you from stretching all the time or if you simply 

can’t reach the ceiling! 

And that’s about all I can tell you on what I know about 

hanging paper in general, I hope this information helps 

when you’re having a go at decorating.

The Glasshouse Yu-Gi-Oh! Club 

Where friendships are forged over card game battles 

By Emma, 3rd-year 

Most people hear the words ‘Yu-Gi-Oh Duelling 

Club’ and say ‘What’s that? Is it a game? Is it a 

cartoon? Or is it just a group of friends getting 

together?’ The truth is, it’s all of those, and 

more! For us it’s a group of students who play a 

card game in which each player uses cards to 

"duel" with each other in mock battles. 

When I joined the college in my first year (I am now a 

third year and the leader of the club) I didn’t know 

anything about it, myself. I just went into the Trophy 

Room next to the Coffee Shop to sit and read. At the 

time, we still had playing ‘legends’ like Henry, Ben, 

C.J., and Chris. For several months I would sit and 

watch as they played, until finally C.J. dragged me out 

of my shell, convinced me to join in and learn how to 

play. 

Suddenly, I was learning all sorts of different strategies, 

my maths skills improved and I quickly became one of 

the top players in the club, if only because I was the only 

girl and was constantly being challenged! I consider it a 

lot like chess-there’s a lot to do with strategy and tactics, 

but also with reading and mathematics. We often have 

staff, students and visitors come in and watch us play, 

only to say afterwards that they couldn’t understand a 

thing we’d done! We’ve tried explaining in the cases 

where someone has been particularly interested, but 

unfortunately, there is no easy explanation for it… 

A Safe Social Space for Students 

There is also a lot of memorization to the game, as you 

have to be able to remember what cards you have in 

your deck as well as your opponent’s. As such, it appeals 

only to certain students who have a tendency to be able 

to remember things and think on their feet, but who also 

tend to be very shy and introverted. We have one 

second year who came to us in his first year after being 

bullied who wouldn’t talk to us at first-much like myself 

in my first year with my books-who is now so confident 

that he recently found himself a girlfriend from outside 

of the college, and I am not the only member of the club 

who is proud of him for it, either! 

So, while we play, we also tend to build our social skills 

by taking in first year students who don’t have any 

friends and find it difficult to make them in the first 

place. We have one first year right now who thought he 



wouldn’t be able to make any friends at all, even in the 

club, because he thought he wouldn’t have anything in 

common with anyone else! In cases like his, I like to sit 

down and talk to them about how we can help him to 

increase his confidence to a level where he can make 

friends with the other club members, and, eventually, 

with students from outside of the club as well. 

Some of the Yu-Gi-Oh Club members playing after lunch. 

So, the club is about several things; taking in students 

who don’t normally get on with others and encouraging 

them to make friends, protecting those same students 

from those who they feel might bully them, and being 

good friends for each other as well. We support each 

other to become not just better players, but better 

people by learning how to control ourselves and using 

the game itself as an outlet for stress, anger, sadness, 

whatever might be wrong. But it’s also about having 

fun, about being together and learning to get along 

with others, about keeping to rules and accepting the 

consequences if we don’t. 

This club has always looked after its members and has 

always been a place of honour, integrity and truth and 

will hopefully continue for many years to come. This 

club has brought members out of their shells, helped 

them improve their reading and maths skills, and 

helped them to make friends. I should know – I’m one 

of those they helped first! 

39

40 

Balm Making 

Judi overseeing Sarah mixing a preparation 

I started work at Freeman College in September 2006 as 

a tutor in Balm Making. In those days, Freeman College 

was quite small and my workshop was a tiny room in 

the Wentworth building, alongside the Pewter, Copper 

and Gilding workshops. I started with just one day a 

week, which was three sessions, each with up to three 

students. In these sessions we used healing plants such 

as Lavender, Rosemary, Calendula and Rose and made 

oil extractions as well as the special Gold ointment with 

Rose and Lavender. I was able to move into a lovely new 

and larger space for my workshop in 2008 and I increased 

my working time here. 

In my sessions, students learn to recognize 

the properties of healing plants through 

observation, sight, smell and touch. They 

make preparations which they can use to 

promote their own health and wellbeing. 

I have extended the range of preparations 

which the students can make to include all 

sorts of appealing cosmetic products, such 

as hair gels, soaps, fizzy bath bombs, bath 

melts and I am currently trying to work 

out a recipe for shaving cream. Students 

have the opportunity to make gifts for their 

family members and friends. 

I am now able to offer work experience 

one day a week to a student where we do 

some experimental work in developing new 

preparations as well as making preparations 

on a slightly larger scale. 

Sarah has been my work experience student 

this year. 

Judi Klahre-Parker, tutor 



I started work experience in balm making over a year ago 

and learnt about lotions and how they are made. I start 

the day by deciding what to make and writing the recipe 

in my book. I get the ingredients, whether they’re cocoa 

butter, emulsifier-VE, sunflower oil or citric acid and I 

make sure the ingredients are in the correct quantities. 

I make all kinds of lotions, lip balms, massage bars, pulse 

point serums, moisturising cream and bath milks. I like 

to do a job with pride and enthusiasm. The products 

we use are natural, made with care and have no artificial 

ingredients. We make our products for most main events 

such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and of 

course Christmas, which is a big event as we have a fair 

at the college. We only ask for a donation and staff and 

students like to have these items. At the moment, Judi 

and I are experimenting on how to make 

a massage bar with festive spice. We are 

also developing our own lip balm which 

is lovely and soft and tasty on the lips. We 

are also working on a room spray. 

We use lavender a lot in balm-making as it 

is a very common, soothing and relaxing 

plant which helps with getting to sleep 

and relaxing the mind. We use chamomile 

and rosemary for the bath milks and hand 

creams. All the products we make are 

dated and have a label explaining what they 

are and their ingredients. 

At events I take orders and then make 

them and I also make the posters to 

advertise the events we go to. Judi is 

very kind, helpful and knowledgeable and 

always has a spark in her when we meet on 

a Wednesday. I really enjoy it and love the 

atmosphere. 

Sarah, 3rd-year



A Handy Shakespearian Interlude 

John Nettles and Barbara Flynn visit Freeman College 

David Heugh, Director of Fundraising at Freeman College, 

invited members of the cast of Hamlet, playing at the Crucible 

Theatre, to visit the college. Actors, John Nettles star of 

Bergerac and Midsommer Murders and Barbara Flynn who has 

starred in Cranford, Cracker and Beiderbecke Affair probably 

didn’t realise that putting their hands up meant having their 

arms twisted to cast those very hands. On their arrival, David 

told them that new students always make a cast of their hands 

to mark the start of their new journey so, tutor Danny Rowan, 

helped John and Barbara to cast theirs, with the help of Sarah, 

3rd-year (right). Danny also helped Barbara to have a go on a 

copper spinning lathe with a fearsome looking spinning tool that 

MacBeth might of made use of, whilst George Evans, Spoon Forging tutor (below), showed John how to have a hit with 

a hammer. The tour ended up in the bakery with Lee Gilbert (probably no relation Sullivan’s musical writing partner), 

Bakery Manager and tutor, where scones expertly cast in the ovens by students, were freely handed out. David pointed 

out that Freeman College is always a unique and fascinating experience for VIP visitors and both John and Barbara 

enjoyed meeting and talking to our young students. 

The Lord and Lady Mayoress of Sheffield also Lend a Hand 

The Lord and Lady Mayoress of Sheffield on their official visit to Freeman College met with Whittle Tang (cutlery) 

tutor Richard Beatson, below left, and students Chrissie (standing) and Robbie to see the production of the new range 

of spoons and bread knives and then had their hands cast with the help of Fabian Harper, 3rd-year student, below 

middle, and Danny Rowan, tutor, and finally to get their photo taken 

in the much revered ‘Hall of Hands’. 

41

42 

Metal meets Glass 

As Freeman College students go on their exchange to Glasshouse College and more 

Two years ago we organised an exchange with students 

from Glasshouse College which was a real success. The 

Glasshouse students were staying with our houseparents 

and students and really enjoyed the hospitality and 

meeting different people. They then worked in the 

workshops in Freeman College, did a lot of metal work, 

saw the city, went to an old industrial hamlet where for 

generations tools were made and also had a ghost tour 

of the city with a lot of terrifying stories. Our students 

meanwhile experienced the Glasshouse, did glassblowing 

and really enjoyed the whole experience. 

We wanted to provide a threshold experience for our 

second-year students as we used to with the cultural 

trips abroad. Being away from home, some for the 

first time in their lives, and meeting new people and 

challenges, enabled facing a threshold together. For many 

this is the theme of the second year altogether: Meeting 

a threshold. After having experienced a variety of 

different subjects and having settled on the one hand into 

college but also having been challenged in many ways, 

the crucial question in year two is invariably: “Are you 

willing to change?” This experience is, as we all know, 

sometimes frightening and some people like to avoid it 

whereas others are ready to jump into it. 

Anyway, the second year trips seemed to be important 

enough to be kept running, so this year a group of staff 

organised an exchange with the Glasshouse and Ruskin 

Mill College, a wilderness trip and a trip to the Peak 

District. 

Constantin Court – Assistant Principal 

Aktar and Denise at Glasshouse College 



Jo Flemming (Functional Skills tutor at Freeman College) 

interviewed some students and staff about their experiences: 

Tracey (Support and Attendance) 

“I went to Glasshouse. I enjoyed all the glassblowing and 

my best personal experience was seeing the students 

on the barge, steering it along the canal and walking 

alongside it while it was still moving. It was great to 

witness their achievement and what they get out of it. 

We went camping as well and some of the students had 

not been away from home on their own and without 

their parents by themselves and we could really see them 

growing through this experience and becoming different 

people.” 

Jonathan, 3rd-year 

“I went to Eyam and went on a bike. I enjoyed it.” 

Jonathan enjoying the stunning views in the Peaks 

Sarah, 3rd-year 

“I went on the wilderness trip and living outdoors is very 

special. I have been camping but never lived outdoors 

for a couple of nights in the woods. It was a really good 

experience to live outdoors and also share that with 

people and actually have a go at cooking with not many 

ingredients. 

Dale, 3rd-year 

“I went to Ruskin Mill last year. I learnt about different 

things they do there, learning about different kinds of 

things they do that help students feel more confident. 

A very good experience was talking to students and 

staff in the morning when we had been camping. We

experienced different kinds of group situations. I found 

some quite difficult but it was all right. 

In the yurt it was a bit claustrophobic but it was I got 

used to it. I talked to students at lunchtime about 

different things and life in general. We walked around 

in college and learned different skills like wood turning 

with support-workers. It is different to Freeman College. 

We also watched a football match in the world cup and 

had a bit of a laugh. It was England versus Slovenia and it 

was all right actually. We had a look around other sites as 

well, I was a bit nervous but it was all right. I am really 

happy that I went.” 

Tom Rose (Support and Attendance) 

“It was brilliant. Many really good experiences. We went 

walking in the Peaks. The second day we had a really nice 

bike ride and a very good day out. Third day we went 

around Castleton and we went up Mam Tor which was 

a really good achievement for many students. They all 

especially enjoyed the bike ride and that was probably 

the hightlight of the trip. I haven’t been on a bike for 

Sarah and Becci looking at home in the wilderness 

ten years myself but picked it up again. It was a major 

achievement also for most of the students. On the walk 

Noami, especially, was insisting that we make it to the 

top of Mam Tor whilst other students and staff had a 

picnic.” 



Jean Stocks 1953 - 2010 

Fabian, 3rd-year 

“I went on the Peak District trip. I found it really good 

and really enjoyed it. The hightlight was going into a 

cave, the Blue John’s cave. We were taken by a guide 

who told us all about it. I did not find it scary, more 

interesting. We went for a walk up to Mam Tor and it was 

very windy.” 

Robert, 3rd-year 

“I went to the Glasshouse. I made some colourful beads. 

Staying away from home for a few days I found OK.” 

Jo Flemming 

“I went on the Ruskin Mill trip. My highlight was the 

camping, all of us sitting around the campfire, making a 

meal together and just sitting together and talking about 

things that usually you don’t have time to talk about in 

everyday working situations with students. It was great 

to see how they related to each other and just having a 

really good time with each other. This was most marked 

with the quiet students who really started to talk and had 

a lot to say and you really saw a different side to them. 

Breakfast was another really lovely time where we all 

got together and just chatted. We all contributed and the 

whole community feeling was a really good experience 

from my point of view. 

Jean Stocks peacefully passed away after an illness on September 30th 2010. Jean was one 

of the first support workers at Freeman College and went on to become Student Support 

Manager working with me in Support and Attendance. She was dedicated to her job and 

enjoyed working at the college. She was a lovely lady with a good sense of humour and will 

be sadly missed by the staff and students of Freeman College. 

Denise Allott, Learner Support Manager 

Robert and Adam at Glasshouse College with their cut glass 

43

44 

Tom, 3rd-year, 

Discovers Blue John 

I have been making a range of jewellery in work 

experience with Richard Priestley in the Academy 

of Makers. In Geology, we’ve been out to Treak Cliff 

Cavern in Castleton, where they still mine Blue John for 

commercial use. They still mine out about quarter of a 

ton a year and it is the only mine of its sort left. They use 

it to make jewellery and bowls. 

Blue John is a mixture 

of fluorite, fluorspar, 

bitumen oil and 

calcite. On our visit 

we walked into a 

natural cavern beyond 

the working mine. 

They now use electric 

drills to mine the 

Blue John, but they 

used to use plugand-feather, 

which 

involves drilling 

holes, inserting pegs 

and, as the wooded 

pegs swell, the stone 

breaks up. The name 

Blue John comes 

from jewellers in 

France who kept 

asking for the stone 

bleu (French for the 

colour blue) and 

jeune (French for yellow), hence the name modified into 

Blue John. 

Castleton has lots of shops selling Blue John items and 

the bowls are incredibly expensive. Chatsworth House, 

outside Castleton, is full of Blue John and the Duke 

and Duchess of Devonshire have bought many items. 

I actually work at Chatsworth as a paid worker in the 

farmyard. I look after the animals, entertain the children 

who come to visit, supervise the craft marquees and, 

when required, perform first aid. 

Currently, I am making a wine stop out of Blue John and 



Blue John and Gold Smith 

Student Jewellers Get Inspired 

as the stone is that rare, this stopper would be worth 

around £60 at retail price. I’ve also made two rings 

with Richard, one with a pyrolusite malocca (a Peruvian 

semiprecious stone). To do this, I made a standard ringshank, 

hammered from a piece of flat wire, then soldered 

the ring together and cleaned it. Then I used a piece of 

square silver for the setting, ground the stone to size and 

glued it in. Finally, I polished it using diamond belts, with 

water as a coolant. I am interested in the geological side 

of jewellery and I even have my own small collection of 

stones. 

James, 2nd-year, 

Inspired by Goldsmiths Hall 

We went to 

Goldsmiths Hall, 

near St. Paul’s, in 

the City of London. 

We travelled down 

by train with five other 

students and three staff. 

We went to see their exhibition of jewellery. Goldsmiths 

is a small mansion with decorative and intricate painted 

carvings, gilded ceilings & enormous crystal chandeliers. 

The exhibition was in two smaller rooms upstairs and the 

hallway. 

We saw all sorts of different jewellery, including handraised 

bowls in fancy shapes, cutlery, plates and dress 

jewellery with precious stones. I liked a plate where the 

edge around the outside was made to look like a zip. I 

asked the man who made this how many piercing saw

lades he had got through. He said that he did it all with 

just the one blade. ‘Phew’, I said. Seeing the exhibition 

gave me a few ideas and the inspiration to come up with 

my own designs. 

I’m doing work experience with Deborah Smith at the 

Academy of Makers and also with tutor Gillian Salmon. 

I do work experience with Deborah on Wednesday 

mornings. So far, I have been working on making some 

rings and making jump rings to make up chains using 

copper wire. 

I am now designing brooches and I had the idea of 

making a design of the River Thames on the brooch. I’m 

making it out of copper and it will then be silver-plated. 

I started the process by making a few similar designs, 

probably six in all. I then took a copper sheet and cut 

out the disks with a piercing saw. Having cut out and 

filed the disks, making them as round as possible, I will 

mark out the design with a scriber and then cut 

out the design with a piercing saw. 

Some of the disks I will texture with leaves 

having rolled them through a rolling mill 

to give them the impression of a leaf on the 

metal. Then I will use a doming block and 

hammer to turn the brooches into a dome shape 

and finally I will fit the pin before they go off for 

silver plating. 

Emily, 3rd-year 

Designing Rabbits & Carrots 

In Jewellery, I came up with a few ideas and decided to 

make a necklace out of silver, with rabbits on it and now 

I’m going to add some carrots. I drew out some designs 

on a piece of paper and decided which one I wanted. 

I then drew the shape of the rabbits onto the metal with 

a pen, having researched these shapes on the Internet. I 

cut the shapes out and used an etching pen to complete 

the design as well as a scriber to scratch in the details. 

I put them into acid for a few minutes until the metal 

went grey, took them out and rinsed them underwater. 

I am going to make the carrots out of wire and use rings 

to attach the rabbits and carrots to the chain. 

I went with a group on the train to London, where we 

took the Tube to St. Paul’s and walked to the Goldsmiths 

Hall to look at the jewellery exhibition. I was amazed at 

what the jewellers and silversmiths had produced. There 

was a stunning necklace and jewellery with stones set in 

them. I did talk to some of the jewellers, but it was very 



busy there. We also went 

into the hall where they 

had a marking area and a 

machine to tell you whether 

a piece was hallmarked or not. 

The visit has given me ideas on 

different kinds of jewellery that can be made. Later, we 

went to the Tate Modern where I found that some of the 

work was good and some was a bit strange. We went and 

got some tea in Marks & Spencer and took the train back 

to Sheffield. It was an interesting day out. 

Tom, James and Emily show their work in three different 

Jewellery locations at college and the Academy of Makers. 

Below: The group in London Town perilously close to the Tower. 

45

Sculptures 

in the Lakes 

at Ruskin Mill 

In September 2009, whilst helping a textile artist who 

was exhibiting at Ruskin Mill, artist Simon Packard had 

the idea of siting a stainless steel sculpture in the lake at 

Ruskin Mill. To begin with it was just one sculpture; from 

there the idea grew until there were three. Simon had 

made the stainless steel sculptures some years before they 

found their home here. When he came to the Ruskin Mill 

valley, site specific ideas started to develop and he found 

that there were places in the water that would suit the 

sculptures. 

The cylindrical sculpture in the lake at Ruskin Mill is 

called ‘Totem’. It is a model of a six metre high tower 

that Simon was commissioned to make that is sited 

in Brentford, London. Its sister piece, ‘Liquidity’ is a 

gateway sculpture at the entrance to the Grand Union 

Canal on the River Thames that can be seen from 

Kew Gardens. Both these sculptures are stainless steel 

lanterns, lit from within, like ‘Totem’ at Ruskin Mill. 

The single screen that sits among the reeds by the Monet 

bridge was originally made for the Daily Telegraph garden 

at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2007. This commission 

came about after Simon installed a plasma cut stainless 

steel screen in the garden at the Henry Doubleday 

Research Association, and he was asked for a similar piece 

for Chelsea. The surface of the screen is embellished 

with trails of weld that catch the light; it looks like icing. 

Weld is not usually used for this purpose and would look 

black if the metal were not treated to a further process. If 

you could touch the screen it would feel like the surface 

of a seed head. All the sculptures 

have been electro-polished which 

makes them very shiny. The metal 

is immersed in a bath of acid 

through which runs electricity 

and all the dirt just falls away. It is 

the opposite process to chroming 

where the chrome is attracted to 

the metal. The company that does 

this uses the same process for these 

big sculptures as it does for tiny 

surgical scalpels. 

Simon Packard 

Photography by 

Alex Caminada 

The pair of screens in the lake nearest to Horsley Mill 

was made as a full size mock up for a design for a garden 

at the Henley Festival. Although you cannot see them, 

there are hinges and the screens can be moved. 

The title ‘Black Flour’ was inspired by an obituary of 

the celebrated Yiddish poet Abraham Sutzkever in the 

Guardian newspaper in March 2010, which quoted the 

line “midnight’s black flour” from a poem by Sutzkever. 

Simon Packard felt that these words go some way to 

describing the marriage of sculpture and the location 

where darkness is not polluted by urban light. In the 

Horsley valley the stainless steel sculptures punctuate 

the darkness that rests gently over the water, framed on 

either side by woodland. Beautiful during the day, they 

come to life at night as the bespoke lighting reveals their 

cut patterning.

Following a successful educational visit by 

Ruskin Mill Students and Staff down to the West of 

England School and College for young people with 

little or no sight on the 10th of June 2010, Ruskin Mill 

Students, including members of the Student Council, 

hosted a return exchange visit by the West of England 

School and College on 17th June 2010. 

Seven students and four staff arrived at 11am, 

were partnered up with a Ruskin Mill College student 

each and then taken to sessions to do some peer teaching, 

mostly for the next two hours. The sessions included 

cooking, green woodwork, third year seminar, living 

skills at Horsley Mill, office skills at Ruskin Mill, plant 

dying and willow work at the farm shop on Gables Farm. 

Here are short reports from students on how they found 

working with each other: 

‘I felt really impressed and touched by the 

challenges that Sioban has to deal with. I wouldn’t be 

able to deal with blindness and being in a wheel chair. I 

asked how do they keep a positive frame of mind with 

those disabilities?’ Richard, 3rd year. 

Sioban wrote about the experience:‘I thought 

it was really good because it shows you don’t have to put 

everything on paper. It shows you can learn lots with 

natural materials. It was really nice and relaxing.’ 

Gemma Rowe (3rd year), wanted to 

comment; ‘ It was wonderful. But we need more ramps 

and less stairs for people who cannot walk. The wheels 

of the wheelchair kept getting stuck’ Her exchange 

Ashleigh writes: ‘It was good working with Gemma 

in the office and making the menu, and looking at all 

the grounds. It was nice and quiet and a wonderful 

environment.’ 

According to Sarah (2nd year); ‘It was good fun 



The West of England School and College Visit 

and interesting because it tested 

my knowledge. I am doing 

a level 2 OCN and I had to 

explain about plant dying, and 

it put me on the spot, but that 

was good.’ 

And from her exchange 

student Ashleigh: ‘I liked 

Sarah because she is funny and 

energetic like me, and likes 

sports. She showed me around 

the farm, which was smelly 

and big and I liked it when she 

nearly pushed a boy in a stream!’ 

Peter (2nd year) reports: ‘I was teaching them about 

willow and gave them a go on one of my baskets. 

Teaching stuff to other people is fun.’ And from George: 

‘A very enjoyable and interesting day. I really enjoyed 

being shown around the college. 

Tom (2nd year): ‘ I thought it was a very good 

day, they enjoyed what I taught them. I taught them 

some basket making and talked about harvesting and the 

box scheme. I’d like to do it again. One or two of the 

students said they were scared about coming before they 

arrived.’ And from Stephanie; ‘Everyone made us feel 

very welcome, Ruskin is a fabulous place, I’d like to visit 

again. Thank you for a great day. 

Ricky (3rd year) reports: ‘I was doing cooking 

with Ricky. I was a bit nervous because I have never 

showed anyone how to cook before. I showed Maria how 

to do some jobs. She peeled potatoes and cooked with 

me, and then I showed her around. She said she really 

enjoyed it. I felt proud of myself. I would love to do it 

again.’ His exchange Maria writes: ‘I really enjoyed 

visiting Ruskin Mill and working with Ricky. We cooked 

fish cakes. He and I ate them whilst the others had 

cheese rolls. Mind you they were nice too.’ 

After the classes, we had a tour for those that 

were interested and able and lunch for all in the lovely 

new greenwood work shelter at Horsley Mill. The West 

of England College hopped back on their mini bus, 

having had a taste of what we do at Ruskin Mill and by all 

accounts they were very impressed. Another exchange is 

on the cards for 2011. Watch this space! 

Report by Sam Blomfield 

Student Journey Manager 

47

48 

On Saturday 11 September 

2010, Freeman College opened 

its flagship developments, 

Butcher Works and Sterling 

Works, on Heritage Open 

Day. For a third year, Freeman 

College participated in 

Heritage Open Day, a national 

event for historic buildings and 

sites usually closed to general 

public access. 

As in previous years, we 

welcomed visitors to view the Grade 11 listed 

development, including the stunning 21st century 

addition in Sterling Works’ courtyard. In addition to 

opening the Sterling Works education areas, Heritage 

Open Day also provides an annual opportunity to open 

Butcher Works’ Grinding Troughs, Bellows Room and 

Bramah Toilet. These historic architectural conservation 

spaces are examples of 19th century commercial use. 

Following the Freeman College tradition of welcome 

and participation, visitors to the event were invited to 

try out hand-crafts in the site’s workshops. As the event 

occurred prior to the new academic year, student leavers 

from 2009 and 2010, John Dean, Charlotte Manship and 

Stephen Bingley returned to support tutors in delivering 

‘have a go’ demonstrations. Second year student, Curtis 

Rogan also turned up as a visitor and stayed all day to 

work with Charlotte in Weaving. We were also delighted 

to welcome back architectural researcher, Oliver Jessop 

to lead tours of the Butcher Works 

site whose tours of the grinding 

troughs are developing quite a 

reputation, accommodating up to 50 

people each tour. 

The Academy of Makers opened their 

workshops to the public and their 

exhibition ‘Found’, led to sales of 

crafts and silverware during the day. 

Fusion Café also had a record day. 

The ‘Bell’ exhibition in the Heritage 

Gallery created a natural flow of 

visitors from the public side of the 

complex into the education site at 

Sterling Works. Many of the visitors 



Heritage Open Day 2010 

John Dean showing his skills to a delighted visitor 

Charlotte and Curtis helping out 

in the weaving workshop 

Report by Carole Baugh Arts Co-ordinator 

were retired cutlers with 

their own stories of working 

in Butcher Works and other, 

now demolished factories in 

the neighbourhood. 

Sterling Works would not 

be fulfilling its role as the 

college flagship site without a 

spoon-forging demonstration. 

This year Whittle-Tang tutor, 

Richard Beatson and exstudent, 

John Dean, delivered 

demonstrations and helped the public try their hand at 

spoon forging. Richard also included a display of Whittle- 

Tang spoons and knives made at the college by students. 

Visitors were delighted to purchase a beautiful piece of 

cutlery from the Whittle-Tang student line. Felting tutor, 

Cara Holden set up felt ball making in the felt workshop. 

Ex-student, Steven Bingley spent some time with Cara 

when he wasn’t guiding visitors around the site. Steven’s 

parents also joined us on the day and did their bit as 

guides, thank you Mr. & Mrs. Bingley. 

In September 2010, Jonathan Pringle joined Freeman 

College as weaving and felting tutor. Jonathan 

was supported by Charlotte, a seasoned open day 

demonstrator, in the weaving studio. Printing tutor, 

Steve Roberts opened his workshop at Butcher Works, 

providing a favourable destination for members of the 

architectural tour which, dispersing close by, meant that 

Steve also had up to 50 visitors at a time. 

Heritage Open Day 2011 was a record 

event thanks to the support of students 

and staff at Freeman College. Charlotte 

has added her own description of her 

part on the day plus news of her new 

life after leaving Freeman College. 

“I left Freeman College in July 

2010 after being a student for 3 years. 

I was always obsessed with weaving, so 

when I was asked to return and work 

as a demonstrator I grabbed the chance 

with both hands. Stuart wasn’t there, it 

was a new tutor, Jonathan Pringle. I had 

to teach him some techniques and he 

taught me some as well. But the thing

was I knew more about doing an open day at the college than he did. That sort of made us equal. I was really excited 

and happy to come back and work in weaving again. Since I left, I’ve been in the Whybon church doing weaving with a 

weaving group that I really enjoy on a Wednesday morning. I’m keeping my skills up because I have my own peg loom 

and my own small table loom and Stuart Groom gave the table loom to me. I had a really good day showing Curtis 

Rogan how to weave because he was nervous at first but after, that he loved doing it and we had a good day. 

I’m being a support person at a place like Freeman College called Spectrum Active and I’m helping them do lots of 

activities including woodwork, art, and catering. I’m doing two days a week at Remploy making chairs for schools and 

colleges. I’m doing lots of welding which was really hard at first but now I’m really enjoying doing it all. Since I have 

done all the open days at Freeman College, it’s helped me so much to do the activities that I’m doing right now in my 

life. Please have me back!!” 

Charlotte Manship 3rd year student leaver 2010. 

Living at Tintagel House 

I like living at Tintagel. It’s really fun sharing my independence with my friends and helping each other. It took a 

while for me to settle in and I’ve now settled in really well. 

I like the way that Jenny and Harsh have decorated the house – it’s really homely, cosy and welcoming. All the staff 

here are lovely and kind and always here to help. I really enjoy the healthy food and the laughs and my cleaning and 

tidying the laundry room. I like my bedroom and like to keep it clean. 

I enjoy games and takeaway night and socialising. My key-worker, Paula, is lovely and kind and really helpful. I get on 

really well with my house-mates and we share our worries and upsets and we help each other. I like the way we have a 

routine and share jobs and I really want to make myself fully independent in living and cooking. I will try so hard this 

year and use all the skills I possibly can. 

Sarah, 3rd-year 

Poem by Sarah, 1st-year 

In a place called Sheffield 

Where it’s known for its metal 

There is a big house 

Surrounded by lots of flower petals. 

This is my new home 

Filled with lots of people 

We laugh like we’re watching a film 

There’s bound to be a sequel 

Hometown is far away 

But it’s ok. 

Every time we have a laugh 

That makes my day 

Thanks to Jenni, Harsh and Ritah 

Paula, Liz and Chole too 

For welcoming into this world 

And all the things you do. 

Off to Freeman College here it’s 9.00 

It’s time to pull off another show. 



Cartoon by Chris Austen, Tintagel resident 

49

50 

The Raft Building Event 

by Evie, 3rd-year 

On Thurs, 14th October, the 3rd-years got on a coach 

and went to Netherton Reservoir. When we got there 

the students and staff were then sorted into four teams, 

when we were in our teams we got started on building 

our rafts using barrels, poles and lots of blue rope. 

I was helping Peter tie the rope tightly to the poles near 

the barrels; I was doing this so that the poles and barrels 

wouldn’t come apart while they are out in the water. 

The weather was really cold, grey and damp. We were 

told that the water was very cold and not to jump in. I 

saw some ducks and swans taking off from the water. I 

learnt how to tie special knots with the rope and learnt 

how to work together in a team. 

At the start Keith said not to go into the water because 

it’s cold and dirty but he was the only one who went 

into the water at the end of the day! 

When we were happy that our rafts would float, each 

team carried 

their rafts 

down the 

slipway ready 

to launch into 

the water. 

Keith then 

pushed our raft 

into the water 

and had to be 

careful of the 

green stuff on the floor because it was slippery. We 

then paddled right out into the middle of the lake and 

when the lifeboat came out it caused lots of waves and 



most of us got our feet and 

clothes wet; it was 

uncomfortable because the 

water was so cold. 

After we had all been round 

the lake we all got out and 

dismantled our rafts and then 

got changed into dry clothes 

before going back onto the 

coach to go back to college. I 

think most students enjoyed 

taking part. 

Pictures: 

Top left — Our team carrying the framework of our 

raft. 

Top right — Mark Davis and Keith Brocklehurst 

geared up for life on a very cold lake. 

Bottom left — Peter and Evie tying poles together. 

Below — Our team launch our raft into the water. 

Bottom right — A view across the lake as the rafters 

head back to the shore.

From the 10th - 13th, July, Freeman College hosted 

an international event for Higher Education (HE) 

institutions from around the globe. It was the 6th Annual 

Conference on Spiritual Values in Higher Education with 

the theme: “The Role of the Arts in Higher Education”. 

The conference started off with a small circle as a forum 

for leaders in HE institutes who want to offer something 

different to what is available. The discussion centred on 

what HE could be like if it addressed not just the transfer 

of knowledge and the development of intellectual research 

skills but also the development of the personality of each 

individual student, practical experience and a more holistic 

concept of Higher Education all together. 

The conference was hosted by the Hiram Institute. With 

the focus on Arts and Crafts, this year’s topic was very 

much at the heart of the Ruskin Mill Educational Trust’s 

curriculum and the research focused on the often asked 

the question by external agencies, funding sources but also 

ourselves: “Why are we doing what we are doing and why 

do we use Arts and Crafts?” Often the answer “Because it 

works” is not enough because the next question is: “Why?” 

which is more difficult to answer. 

This research topic is undertaken across the 

globe as other institutions also try to evidence 

the reasons for their practice and this meeting had people 

from the UK, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Germany, USA, 

Australia and Brazil. They not only discussed and shared 

their insights, to make connections but also to go through 



Spiritual Values in Higher Education 

an action research process themselves. The main theme of 

Arts and Crafts was explored through practical experiences 

in the workshops, a reflective process around this, lectures 

and discussions. 

Within the conference, other experiences complemented 

the picture as, for example, the casting of a bell at the 

Freeman College took place, an event where craft and 

science became very tangible, an excursion to the Sculpture 

Park and a concert. The performance of the concert “Die 

siebte Himmelsrichtung” was made possible with kind help 

from the Norwegian Foundation for Performing Arts and 

was performed in the Upper Chapel in Sheffield. It was 

composed by Edvin Ostergaard who also led a workshop 

on the Friday and gave a lecture on the Saturday. Despite 

being a researcher into the fields of biology and music and 

a university lecturer, he came to Sheffield to have the first 

opportunity to talk about his compositions and music to 

people who have actually experienced his music. Usually 

experience, reflection and research are not connected! 

Participants felt welcomed and were very grateful for the 

practical experiences they could have here in Freeman 

College and were impressed by the variety and competence 

in the sessions offered by tutors from Ruskin Mill College, 

Glasshouse College and Freeman College. 

Constantin Court, 

Assistant Principal Freeman College 

51

52 

On 1st September 2010, the Clervaux Artisan Bakery 

and Café in Darlington opened to the public. The 

former ‘Bishops House’ on Coniscliffe Road was acquired 

by the Trust in 2009 as an urban base linking to ‘Clow 

Beck’, our land based site three miles away in Croft-on- 

Tees. After a whole year of renovation and restoration, 

the café and bakery opened with one main purpose; 

to develop a sustainable business and social enterprise 

providing Clervaux students with a a variety of excellent 

training opportunities serving the local community. 

From the day we opened, we have been thrilled by how 

much support we have had from local people. I have 

had to find more staff to cope with the large number 

of customers and we are delighted that sales have been 

much higher than expected. The quality of all of the 

fresh, organic food and drink we serve is very high and 

this is exactly what our customers want. 

The project, which has been partly funded by the 

National Lottery Local Food Programme, is committed 

to re-establishing the link between urban and rural and 

to promote the inter-dependence of the two. We source 

pioneering new models of education through partnership 

MP Jenny Chapman addressing guests at the opening of the Clervaux Artisan Bakery and Café with, left, Rick McCordall, Commercial 

Manager, Janine Christley, Head of Development, and right, Ada Burns, Chief Executive of Darlington Council. 

Right: The refurbished seating area of the Bishop’s House now home to the bakery and café. 

Clervaux Artisan Bakery and Café is open for business.... 

around 80% of the fresh produce used in the kitchen 

(vegetables, salads and meat) from the land at Clow 

Beck. The benefits of this link are many, most notably in 

the taste and flavour of the food. This has been reflected 

in the excellent customer feedback we have had. The 

café is now building a reputation across the region as a 

destination for good quality local food and drink. 

Ricky Felstead and Dean Sumner, two of Clervaux 

Life’s residential students, are very much part of the 

team here with Ricky assisting in the bakery and front 

of house and Dean working in the kitchen. Another 

significant contributor to the success of the project is that 

the Darlington Soroptimists are providing volunteering 

support. Their input includes supporting the front of 

house, networking with customers and helping in the 

kitchen. 

We now have the foundations in place to develop this 

exciting sustainable project. We want to engage more 

local organic suppliers, especially in the retail area and 

offer our customers fresh produce grown at Clow Beck 

and crafts made by our students and tutors. What’s more

we are creating a wide range of work experience and 

vocational training for our students. 

Rick McCordall, Commercial Manager 

Jenny Chapman 

Labour MP for Darlington 

“In this difficult economic time, projects such as 

Clervaux Trust are more important in order to give the 

opportunities to young people that they need and the 

chance to build their confidence. I am looking forward 

to enjoying coffee and cake at my new neighbours, as 

my office is next door, and sampling the fruits of their 

labour.” 

Ada Burns 

Chief Executive of Darlington Borough Council 

Reg Milne, right, Trustee, with Ada and Nigel in the bakery 

“We have had a partnership with Clervaux Trust under 

the Back on Track scheme for the past two years to give 

young people different learning environments. They are 

vulnerable young teenagers and the scheme has been 

working well and we’re seeing the benefits for those who 

are unable to participate in conventional learning. 

“We are very excited about this new initiative because 

we have seen it working over the past few years and we 

very much hope that this development in our partnership 

will take it to the next level. Clervaux Trust plays an 

important part in creating better opportunities for young 

people. 

“As we face the new financial environment, the 

opportunities to generate income are very important 

and this project will help in making a sustainable 

programme.” 

Clervaux Trust 


Jill addressing, with Janine, Jenny, Ada and Ricky 

Jill Pindar 

Local Food from the Big Lottery Fund 

“Clervaux Trust had to demonstrate that they are able 

to make local food affordable and accessible to the 

community. The Trust was able to show that their food 

has a link to their farm, the ability to train people, show 

where the food has come from and develop a commercial 

venture such as we see here in the bakery and café. This 

venue will enable training to take place in the café and 

the bakery, as well as supporting training at their farm 

to grow food. Local Food is a programme set up by the 

Big Lottery and managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife 

Trusts. 

“I am the Grants Officer for this particular project 

and was delighted to be able to award Clervaux Trust 

£250,000 for the fit out of the bakery and café 

and a contribution to the running costs.” 

Nigel Grant, Head Baker 

The plan for the bakery is to produce and supply artisan 

bread to the café, local restaurants and hotels. Bakery 

is a dying art but I will promote artisan baking and will 

be involved in teaching and training of young people and 

the local community. I’ve been in the baking trade for 14 

years in large-scale businesses, and have been teaching 

at Newcastle College and I am in my second year of a 

Diploma in HE Teaching, so teaching here will contribute 

to my diploma. 

I am now baking confectionary such as scones, cream 

cakes and gateaux which are proving to be very popular. 

I started in August and by the time we opened, we 

were baking fresh bread and scones every day. Ricky is 

working with me three mornings every week and more 

students will be involved soon.” 

53

54 

Scott Hayward, Head Chef 

I recently moved to Darlington from Cumbria where I 

was a chef in a wholefood restaurant. I was delighted 

to discover that Clervaux Trust was looking for a chef 

to launch the café on Coniscliffe Road. My role is 

to make sure that the café produces food to a high 

standard, is always organic and uses as much food from 

the biodynamic eco farm as possible. The farm can offer 

enough seasonal food for up to 80% of what we need and 

the rest we would source locally. There is a dairy and beef 

supplier in Richmond and fish will be from the Whitby 

area. 

The pigs from our farm will be used ‘oink, squeak and 

tail’, meaning that we will use 85% of the animal, e.g. 

for bacon, sausage, ham, salami, chorizos and making our 

own charcuterie. We will try out different recipes with 

students as part of the enterprise education. For the 

café, we produce high-quality food with a contemporary 

twist, it has a rustic Mediterranean feel, with a specials’ 

boards, salads and information informing the customers 

where the produce was sourced. 

Dean Sumner is my assistant in the kitchen and is 

applying some of the skills he has developed at Freeman 

College. I have worked with young people before and 

I am looking forward to working with more students 

in the future. It is a phenomenal project to be involved 

with and very exciting. 

Ricky Felstead, Baker’s Assistant 

I was at Freeman College for three years and enjoyed 

it. I was going to do a fourth year, but there wasn’t any 

funding. I initially didn’t want to come to Clervaux 

Trust, but I came for a visit with my mother and liked it. 



Dean, left with Scott in the Clow Beck kitchen preparing food for the opening and, right, Ricky serving 

I started here in September 2009 

and I’ve been doing catering at 

Clervaux’s Eco-Centre, where 

we cook for staff and students, 

roughly 20 people a day. I’ve 

also been doing some land work, 

gardening and horticulture. I 

also went to the auction with 

Dave and brought the pig who 

had some piglets. I’ve also been 

involved in the building work at 

Bishop’s House. I’ve been living 

in Darlington with James, my 

house-parent, and Dean. It is a 

good house and I’m settling in. 

Dean Summer, Chef ’s Assistant 

I came up here in October 2009 from Freeman College. 

I was working at Fusion Café in Butcher Works with 

Melvyn. It was excellent and I enjoyed it and I like 

working with professionals. Aonghus asked me to come 

up here and help to build the Clervaux Trust. It’s very 

different than the other colleges and I feel that I have 

more freedom. I concentrate better and feel more ecofriendly. 

I love catering and I did construction two days a 

week. I’m now working at the Clervaux Café with Scott. 

It has been a good move and I like Darlington, which is 

OK, but I like the countryside having been brought up 

in the Lake District. I’m going to do an NVQ Level 2 

part-time at Darlington College, I am looking forward to 

do it. It’s an independent life skill and I also bake bread 

every Tuesday and Friday. 

Clervaux Life 

James Taylor 

Admissions Manager 

A key element in the development of Clervaux Trust is 

the residential provision, Clervaux Life. This offers 52 

week care to young adults transferring out of Ruskin Mill 

Educational Trust and provides an opportunity for them 

to continue developing vocational and independence 

life skills. We currently have two houses in Darlington 

and will be opening more this year. This is an ideal 

opportunity for RMET students that need another year 

or two of training or are looking for a more long term 

care placement. We use the houseparent care model

Clervaux lanscaped and productive through the work of Tyll, right, students and Leah, right 

living in small nurturing house groups and will also be 

developing a series of independence flats. 

As you can see from Ricky and Dean’s experience here, 

there are lots of opportunities to get engaged either in 

the bakery and café or on the land and craftwork at Clow 

Beck. 

For more details, please call me on 01325 729860 

Tyll van de Voort, Land Manager 

When I started here on 1st September 2009, I found 

a site needing a lot of input. No top soil in the core 

site, riddled with weeds and rather asleep needing to be 

awakened. 

My first project was to make the central site a mirror 

image of the intention of Clervaux, to bring healing 

into nature and the country. I started creating a 

garden, roughly 

an acre and a half 

including raised 

beds, polytunnels, 

cold frames and 

fencing to keep 

the pigs, sheep and 

goats contained. 

Then we started to 

create workshop 

space and home 

for the animals and 

planting fruits trees 

and soft fruit. With 

the pigs, goats, 

sheep and chickens 

close to the core 

of the site, we now 

have a curriculum 

around the animals 

and land work. 

My task was to build up a horticulture infrastructure in 

which training can take place. In the last few months, the 

students are beginning to see the point of horticulture. 

They have helped build the farm workshop and sheds 

and with the infrastructure. Many come with anger and 

failure that is very strong. Nature helps to soak up this 

anger and, over time, can unburden some of it. 

The land (100 acres) is in conversion to Biodynamic 

farming. When everything was harvested on the new 75 

acres, I had it laid down to permanent grass for pasture. 

Our intention is to get more stock, more sheep and 

cattle. We harvested 700 bales of hay and sold most of 

that and kept back what we need. So we are very much 

making the connection from seed to table and supplying 

what we can to the houses, kitchen and now the café. I 

am offering Bio-dynamic apprenticeships to open up 

vocational avenues. 

Young Mother’s Programme 

Heather Lazenby 

Darlington Borough Council, Explains 

The project is important as it is all under one roof so 

the mothers and babies are together. This helps mothers 

to develop their bonds with their children and support 

each other. The focal point is learning to cook with 

wholesome food and the ethos of socialisation and trying 

different things and eating together. They experience the 

whole life cycle with the gardens producing food and 

having the animals around. This helps them appreciate 

where the food comes from but also how different it 

tastes when you grow your own. They also do craftwork, 

and make things from scratch. It is also about building 

confidence and self-esteem as a parent. It is very 

Left: Janine Christley. Head of Development and Cate Crallan, right, 

Head of SEN Inclusive Service, Darlington, at the launch. 

55

56 

supportive and the care staff are here to provide that 

support. 

Sybille van de Voort, Tutor 

The Young Mother’s Programme started in March 2010 

as a privately funded project. A second group started a 

few weeks later funded by the council with the help and 

support of Heather. It has been very successful and we 

hope to begin a new programme in January. Everything 

is related to their babies. The young mums learn crafts 

and make things for their children. We talk and collect 

flowers for the table and cook food from the garden, 

especially vegetables, then lay the table and eat together. 

The carers from the mobile crèche that supports us has 

been impressed with the way we work and they want to 

learn more about the Waldorf approach. 

This approach comes from my Steiner background; 

encouraging a gentle approach towards young children, 

not having intrusive toys (the norm) instead using 

wooden toys and handmade musical instruments. Also, 

we encourage children to play with natural materials. 

We also cook baby food instead of bringing it in a jar 

and everything we use is organic as it’s made healthily 

and supports local agriculture. We support eating meat 

from happy and healthy animals. This programme is really 

a home-making programme and the children can be 

involved all the time and not separated from their mums. 

As well as supporting them in relationships, cooking, 

gardening, we try and help them to get jobs, such as 

in the Café . It has been very successful and we are 

currently fundraising to provide more programmes. 

Charlotte, with baby Gracie 

I was introduced to the group and felt that it was 

something that could really help me. I enjoy cooking and 

we make a meal together every time. We meet once a 

week on a Friday. The produce is all fresh and it is good 



Young mothers and their children enjoying a day at Clow Beck as well as creative time and sharing a meal together, below. 

to know where it comes from. Normally I can’t afford to 

buy organic. I like coming out here and it is a change of 

scenery. I’ll keep coming here until I go back to work as 

I’m on maternity leave and doing Level 3 in Child Care. 

Chloe, young mother 

I’ve got a boy who is four months old. Motherhood is 

going well but it’s not easy, but worth it. This group 

helps me work around stuff and communicate with 

other mothers and meet people in similar situations. I 

like cooking, felting and cross-stitching. It is nice and 

peaceful here, compared to Darlington. 

Becky, young mother 

I have both a boy (four months) and a girl (two years). 

I’ve been learning to cook healthily as I don’t want to 

feed my children with junk food and I want to eat more 

healthily myself. I’ve been felting once a week and I am 

enjoying it. It’s therapeutic, I use my imagination and 

I am making felted items for the baby’s room. I also 

do knitting, cross-stitching and cooking. I am making 

friends, socialise with other mums who I can turn to for 

advice, help and support.

A W Y F G L I P A C E R T W B Q E J N C Z E E O H F Q M P E 

C F W O G W N E R T X M Y A B Y M D O G Q L X Z J E I B P V 

I S O Q C Y H S A B M H Y P S E H E U Q O L L V S E U B G A 

L N E X C V Q U S P N C G A H L W M E A S C T I O L B N Q T 

L R A Q J R T Y D V X T U G L I B S D R H P I M L B T N B P 

A B F G M Q U L A P S V N W N W R A N Z Y C H E N A R Y W R 

T N K I H S F D H O N Z W I Q D B G E B E K T M T T E R A H 

E T M B V O U Q N L Q V S M C Y E R D S N F M E Y Y V F H J 

M E T A L L I C A M R M G D P B P I I C O W I L R U C V E K 

B J T F Q V N W I L E Y D B B J A M A R Y W C W P W A N D K 

A N L X D H B V W E D J F Y S Q T T M A T A T Y A O P H Y H 

S A A N B N N Q G R J W J U F S X Y N G O V N T Q P I N T D 

H E C Y M C Q S N A A J Q I P F V I O A R F U E W P B J G S 

W U S G G I G A Y B B H A P W A I R R R E T E T E I L K H W 

P T A H E N W H R W O S N S L Y M E I Y M H V R H L E Q J F 

D L R A Z N Q U E U E B S E U T R W B N D G T O N K P I L S 

B O E U B T R N V S L M N A G U S M H I U J A V N M B A M H 

M Q E T B M H K U A N T U B D W R W S U T E Q E C X W U W U 

Q S Z V W Q G E I Z I G R R W L E Q A W V W Y N X Y R J D L 

A A Z S Y O D J O N R D P I B I H P P N A S W J X T E M C O 

S F I N U P H A E B W E L Q V H C O I T S T B Q A H F L S N 

H J D M I R X M E K S Y Q I Y I R M W W P Q P O W S C O E F 

K O O L O B M E P H G H A L N W U Y A H N U G E R A M S T S 

O P C W P Y E R L I E N K R M I O M V Q O I Y Z K B L W B B 

V M A A B C P O A E N N E F X L C S K S W O N V Y S O S M Y 

R B W Q D E I P S F X B I I Z E S H D B W R T B I A H X E I 

P D E L B N G S N V C G Y H Q C T L T N X I P Q O L G Z T O 

A T Y H I M D A T F A W R N C J M E V R T E Q X S F G C B P 

M J N N W A S C H N P Z W C V A Z R T I P O W R Y B V C X E 

F H J R E F B J X U I E Q K T X M R Y N I X E B W A S P G G 

Trivium 

Bullet For My 

Valentine 

Metallica 

Iron Maiden 

Him 

1.Who starred in Thunderball? 

A. Roger Moore. B. Pierce Brosnan. C. Sean Connery. 

2. In the 1959 Film Ben-Hur which type of vehicles are 

used? 

A.Chariot. B. Galleon. C. Horse. 

3. Who made Tom and Jerry which during 1940-1958? 

A.Chuck Jones. B. Hanna and Barbera. C. Gene 

Deitch. 

4. Who starred as Minerva Mcgonagall? 

A. Julie Walters. B. Maggie Smith. C. Clare Bloom. 

5. In the 1991 film Beauty and the Beast which music 

composer wrote the score? 

A. Alan Manken. B. Hans Zimmer. C. James Horner. 



Machine Head 

Slipknot 

Bashy 

By James, 2nd-year, 

created in IT 

Skepta 

Dizzee Rascal 

Wretch 

Giggs 

Jme 

Wiley 

Created by Tom, 1st-year, in IT 

6. In the film Gigi how many Oscars did it win in 1958? 

A. Nine. B. Twelve. C. Five. 

7. In the 1968 film Oliver! When Bill Sykes died how 

did he die? 

A. Shot. B. Run Over by Bus C. Hanged up from the 

loading house. 

8. Who died in 1966? 

A. Fred Quimby . B. Walt Disney. C. Gene Kelly. 

9. Who starred as Robin Hood in 2010? 

A. Errol Flynn. B. Kevin Costner. C. Russell Crowe. 

10. Who killed Professor Quirrel from Harry Potter 

and the Philosopher’s Stone? 

A. Harry . B. Snape. C. Albus Dumbledore. 

57

58 

Peter Atkins lives in a three-bedroom house with a 

big garden in Coventry. He has been cycling a lot to keep 

fit and cycled 50 miles in June! He works part-time on a 

boat, helping to clean it out, but doesn’t feel he can do fulltime 

work yet. He says ‘hello’ to all the staff and students 

at the Mill. 

Tom Best says that since leaving Ruskin Mill, he 

has been living in his lush flat, whilst going to Starbucks 

and working as well as drinking. He has been training to 

become a Level 2 football coach, as well as sorting out 

everyday life stuff that needs to get done and starting to 

go to the gym again. He has been playing cricket at the 

weekends – he recently got three wickets in bowling and 

a magnificent four when batting. In July, he went to an 

annual fete, with all money made going to the church in 

Godmanstone, Dorset. 

Andrew Binnie lives independently in a flat in 

Godalming, Kent, where he cooks, cleans and cares for 

himself. In 2008, he had a voluntary job at the YA Theatre 

in Guildford, but now works part-time as a school cleaner 

and at the BHF store in Godalming. He did a cookery 

course for a brief period, but still does stained glass. He 

says ‘hi’ to Madeleine Beale, Laura Cammish, Linda Frosch, 

Maria Fischer. Marianna van der Tas. Michael Madigan and 

Rich Pirie. 

Alistair Bird lives in a terraced house in Birkenhead, 

Merseyside, and works at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, 

helping to maintain the grounds. He enjoys hill walking 

and sailing, watching football and rugby and both college 

cookery courses he undertook. He goes to an Asperger’s 

group at a local pub and would like to say ‘hello’ to all the 

staff and students who remember him. 

Oliver Bracey lives in Penn, Buckinghamshire, where 

he is currently unemployed, although he is looking into 

doing a fork-lift driving course. He obtained a loan from 

the Prince’s Trust to start up and run a business entitled 

Wax On, Wax Off, but unfortunately that venture was 

unsuccessful. In his spare time, he likes to go to modified 

car cruises with his mates. He says ‘hello’ to the Boyt 

family and to “Richard who does the woodworking”. 

Rashida Donaldson is living in Bearwood, 

Birmingham, with her husband Mohammed. She enjoys 

swimming, gym and socialising, as well as going out for 

meals with her husband. She says hello to Aonghus and 

plans to get a job in future. 

Grant Harman is living in Gloucester, doing a 

paediatric nursing course at university. Like many 

students, Grant is finding handling his finances to be 

The Colleges 


Welcome to more edited highlights of letters, email and visits 

from ex-students and we continue to enjoy receiving your news. 

We hope you have a very enjoyable festive time and best wishes for the New Year. 

Will Mercer (william.mercer@rmc.rmet.org.uk). 

a challenge and he works part-time. He continues to 

volunteer with GlosAid, the Door Youth Project and St. 

John’s Ambulance. 

Louis Heather is living with his parents in London. 

He was planning to do a course in childcare but all the 

spaces were fully booked, so he is looking forward to 

taking Italian lessons and is attempting to ease into parttime 

employment. He has enjoyed attending drinks 

evenings with a local Catholic group and also enjoyed a 

karaoke party with these friends. He regrets missing the 

2010 Open Day, as he was unwell, but wishes us the best 

of luck for the new academic year. 

Thomas Holmwood says hello to everyone at Ruskin 

Mill. Tom has been at the Hatch Camphill Community in 

Thornbury for over a year now and he is very happy there. 

He really enjoys reading Run of the Mill and he visited the 

Mill in September with his friend and fellow ex-student, 

Nicholas Armour, where they enjoyed a lovely cake and 

cup of coffee in the café and a walk all around. 

Daniel Hood lives in South Woodford, in Greater 

London. He went out bowling for his birthday in July, has 

got himself some tattoos & piercings and is very happy that 

his local football team was promoted to League One and is 

now ranked higher than Forest Green Rovers! 

Stewart Hooper is living in a new flat in Gloucester. 

Some weekends he DJs at local pubs or even weddings, 

but he is looking for a club that needs a permanent DJ. 

He likes going to lots of concerts with people such as Rod 

Stewart, David Essex and Billy Ocean and also attends CD 

fairs to collect rare albums you can’t buy in shops. He has 

a current total of 1,117 CDs!! 

Rachael Johnson lives at home with her parents 

in Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire. She attends a drama 

club, where she recently starred as Seyton in a spoof of 

Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and is now looking to start a 

drama course at college, having finishing her art course 

there. She is also looking to move into her own flat and 

is just waiting on the “mortgage people”. She says ‘hi’ to 

Mac, Barry, Howie and Caro. 

John Leonard would like to pass on that he is living 

in an apartment in Sheffield, working at Freeman College 

and would like to say “hello” to the current maintenance 

staff. In his spare time he “goes to the pub”! 

Robert Lock lives with his parents in Witham, in 

Essex, and works full time as an apprentice with Essex 

County Council for a year in the hopes of becoming a full 

employee. He is going to be doing the equivalent of an 

NCQ 3 in IT and expects a day release scheme to do this.

He still attends his regular groups and plans to get his own 

place so that he can share it with a girlfriend. 

Ben Margolis lives in supporting housing in 

Cinderford, with Jando, another ex-student, though 

he plans to move to a new flat in March 2011. He plays 

football, darts, skittles and music and works twice a week 

as a potter. He says hello to Sam Mukumba. 

Emma Merrifield lives in Bishops Stortford, 

Hertfordshire, and has been planning a week’s holiday 

with her boyfriend. She is in much better health now and 

is very happy with her other half, as well as her 17-weekold 

Great Dane puppy. 

Anthony Munk has moved to Radstock, near Bath, 

and is now engaged! His hobbies include running, rugby, 

horses, swimming, dog walking, fishing and shooting. He is 

going to start his NVQ 2 in farming, then halfway through 

the college year, he is planning to apply for a Council flat in 

Bristol and hopefully move in with his partner. He hopes 

to get married and have children one day. He also fancies 

the idea of working two jobs – half the week on a farm 

and the rest of the week at a stables, so that he will have 

double income. He would like to say ‘hi’ to Lyssa White, 

Kristina Roscoe, Richard Dawson and James James and 

to Kia Lang, Barry Boyt, John Barnfield, Mike Tobin, Carl 

Johnson, Carol Blofield, Arian and Ian Blythe. 

David O’Rourke is enjoying life in Cardiff, where he 

will be starting college courses in art and cookery. He has 

been visiting friends in Norwich and his aunt came to see 

him at home. He said he was sorry to hear about Anthony 

Hodge. 

Neal Patel lives independently in Perivale in Greater 

London, and has secured work as a full-time chef at a local 

hotel. He hopes that the work will prepare him for an 

NVQ 3 in catering at college next year. He says ‘hello’ 

to Howie, Annabelle, Helen Bermingham, Richard Turley, 

Elly Austin, Mac, Stuart and Adam Tobin. 

Katy Ponting lives on her own in Yate, South 

Gloucestershire. She attends a couple of social clubs and 

works in a nursery. She says ‘hello’ to everyone and plans 

to get a house or flat with a garden. 

Silvia Rainbow lives in Stourbridge, West Midlands, 

and she is doing well at the moment. She is enjoying 

her own style of card-making, though there are so many 

techniques that the list is endless! She recently attended a 

performance of As You Like It at Stratford, which she says 

was very funny and had a great storyline. She says ‘hello’ to 

The Colleges 


Adam Tobin, Patricia Digby and Alec Hole. 

Ram Ray is settled in supported accommodation in 

Strood, Kent, has good relationships with the staff and 

“service users” and is enjoying his activities there. He does 

photography, art & IT at college, has a radio show and 

enjoys going to various social clubs and doing DJing. He 

says ‘hi’ to everyone at the Mill, especially Chris Adamson, 

Rob Lock and Ben Laird. 

Alex Sparrow is living in a care-home in Clifton, 

Bristol, with other young people, which she says is cool. 

She enjoys glass painting, badminton and football, as well 

going to the pub, the cinema and bowling. She would like 

to say ‘hi’ to Mike Tobin and Barry & Dianne Boyt. 

David Stott lives and works at Oaklands Park in 

Newnham-on-Severn. He has to get up very early (3 am!) 

when milking the cows and also does coppicing, hay baling 

and barn-cleaning on the farm. He is the lead singer in 

a band, goes swimming and to the gym and does drama 

and IT at college. He remembers living with David & Liz 

Waller, whom he liked very much. 

Frances Studart lives in supported living in 

Orpington, Kent, where she likes listening to music, 

chatting online with friends and playing badminton. She 

attends a local autistic group and does stained glass, art and 

cookery courses at college. She says ‘hello’ to Alec Hole, 

Maria, Andy, Keith, Helen B, Carol B, Caro B, Sally B, John 

Wright and Ricky Game. 

Luke Watkins lives in Hereford and has recently 

applied for a part-time job at Mencap which he hopes he’ll 

get. He still keeps in touch with other ex-students and says 

hello to Rich, Marc, Katherine & Maria Fischer. 

Lyssa White has moved from Cambridgeshire to a 

new flat in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, and has passed her Level 

2 Literacy test. She keeps in touch with Roman & Olga, 

Katy P, Donna Lloyd, Luke Crocker & Helen B and would 

like to get in touch with Alison Blackhall. She is also on 

Facebook and Twitter if you wish to contact her. 

Joe Woods lives with his partner and little boy in 

Bristol and is awaiting the birth of his daughter. He works 

on a building site and has the licences to drive fork-lift 

trucks and mini-diggers. He has also got his own car and 

is tuning it up. He would like to say thanks to Barry & 

Dianne for all that they did for him and he would like to 

see them again. He wants to have more children and spend 

time with his loving family. 

Answers to Quiz on page 57: 1. Roger Moore. 2. Chariot. 3. Hanna and Barbera. 4. Maggie Smith. 5. Alan Manken. 

6. Nine. 7. Hanged up from a laoding house. 8. Walt Disney. 9. Russell Crowe. 10. Harry 

Special thanks to Paul Jackson for technical support, Chris Day for co-ordinating, layout & design of all Glasshouse features, 

all the team at Freeman College and Richard Thatcher for word-processing, proofreading & additional support. 

Run of the Mill is edited and set by Will Mercer at Ruskin Mill. Email: william.mercer@rmc.rmet.org.uk 

Printed by In2Print, using vegetable inks and paper from managed forests – www.in2print.com 

59

The story of Isis, Osiris and Seth is captured in Chris Austen’s cartoon drawn and painted on papyrus 

made at Freeman College. Chris undertook the project in Printing sessions with tutor, Steve Roberts. 

Self-Portrait by Chris Austen van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ by Aktar Rasool,

RUN OF THE MILL - Ruskin Mill Trust

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