I’ve had a press release in from friend of the blog Lucy Wood, who put on the wonderful reopening shindig for the Saxon Hill Scrap Barn at Chasewater last Saturday – Lucy is keen to informm readers of opening times and the sort of stuff this wonderful store sells.

Lucy is, of course, Marketing and PR Manager for the Barn, having been working for the project from the outset a few years ago, but she’s also a top Phoenix Hospital Radio DJ!

The Barn is of course, an enterprise by Saxon Hill School in Lichfield, and I’m proud to support the project and people involved. In the seemingly harsh and uncaring world we currently inhabit, it’s nice to see that these excellent people still give a damn.

Lucy Wood wrote:

Local Scrap Store Opens With A New Look

A local Arts and Craft resource centre was relaunched by Councillor Sherriff last week with a new name and new look to the delight local crafters

The Saxon Hill Craft Barn, (formally The Lichfield Scrap Barn) is a Craft supply store with recycling at heart.

The store operates by sourcing surplus materials for play and craft production. This makes them a unique, innovative and creative supplier of useful, reclaimed and exciting finds.

Marketing Manager, Lucy Wood said: ‘The Craft Barn is an Aladdin’s cave for those who seek their creative flair. The new look to the store gives us more space to allow more pupils than ever before, to work in a retail environment. The barn has a fresh feel that inspires everyone from experience crafters to complete novices. The Craft Barn was founded by Saxon Hill Academy, and is run by Volunteers. Our primary goal is to give opportunities to young people, with a range of disabilities, teaching valuable skills and training in a work based environment.

The Opening was attended by around 20 invited guests, who have supported this project from its conception three years ago.

Managing Director Wesley Morris said ‘It is wonderful to see the business go from strength to strength, our ethos has always been to provide an enriching experience to our pupils and it is a testimony to our hard working team that we are still able to provide this vital source of life skill. The enthusiasm of everyone involved in this project just seems to snowball which creates a can do attitude for our pupils with disabilities who get an enormous sense of achievement and belonging to something.

The Saxon Hill Craft Barn is based at Chasewater Park, Brownhills on Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays 10:00am – 2:00pm. For more information please visit http://www.saxonhillcraftbarn.co.uk

Lucy and the Scrap Barn Team celebrate their first birthday a couple of years ago. Image from their Facebook page.