p17i58i2rle6i1bka12vm1aed1fqb1.pdf

Handcrafted Social
Enterprise flourishes!
At a thriving mosaic workshop in Colmworth, local
people with learning disabilities or autism are being
given the chance to undertake paid work through an
apprenticeship scheme, and thus help contribute to the
local economy rather than rely on benefits.
Many handcrafted items are now
on sale and the team undertakes
special commissions, from large
scale company logos and signs
to personalised plaques and
household items.
The Bromham Millers Colmworth
workshop is Mencap’s social
enterprise. The chair, John Myers,
says: “It’s a shocking fact that only
about 5% of people
with learning
disabilities or
autism work
full-time. Many
want to earn a
living and we are
helping them achieve
that.”
One of the team is Beverley
Conlon, a 53 year old from
Bedford who was diagnosed
as a slow learner and has never
been able to do paid work before.
She has uncovered a real talent
for making mosaics at Bromham
Millers. She says: “Creating
mosaics is very relaxing and I’ve
learned a lot about how to make
designs in mosaic form. I can
now work much more quickly
than when I started the training.
It’s exciting that the plaques and
products we’re making are being
sold. I also enjoy going to the
workshop because it’s a chance
to socialise while we work. ”
The team are happy to create
personalised house plaques or
commemorative pet plaques to
order. Businesses and community
groups can commission striking
external signs or logos to
their own design
specifications.
Woodfines
Solicitors
of Bedford
has recently
commissioned
a large mosaic of their
logo that will be displayed
in their reception area.
A whole range of mosaic
items created by Beverley and her
colleagues are now on sale, from
a set of coasters at £6 to mosaictopped
tables at £150. The shop
at the Colmworth is open every
Thursday, 10am to 3pm.
The money raised goes towards
helping to keep people employed
in the mosaic workshop and the
artists receive a percentage from
the sale of their mosaic piece.
To advertise please call 01234 310521 or email: teresa@communitylifemag.co.uk
soCial enterprise
The Bromham
Millers’ target is
to place at least 18 people with
learning disabilities or autism in
full-time jobs by April 2013.
This would be achieved by
producing arts and crafts such
as mosaics, and also through
computer service contracts;
sectors which are said to best
suit the capabilities of those with
learning disabilities or autistic
spectrum.
The funding they have received to
date from the likes of JobCentre
Plus and other organisations goes
a long way to helping achieve this,
but they are still in need of grants
or donations to help create these
jobs.
The workshop in action
how to donate: virgin Money Giving (http://tinyurl.com/ccw7hfr) or by cheque payable to Bedford Mencap
mailed to: 2 tamworth Buildings, tythe Barn, school lane, Colmworth, MK44 2JZ.
Mosaic online shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Craftarcadia
please contact: 01234 376699 or email: aj_myers@btinternet.com for more info.
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