About
Threads is a small and expanding community of individuals who love making, sharing their skills and getting to know others . Our original core team connected through existing relationships, although not everybody knew each other at first. Our aim is that Threads becomes a place for the wider community – where individuals can come together and benefit from spending time with others whilst learning a new skill.
We make decisions together as a team and believe in co-operative values, operating within a non-hierarchical structure. Threads is keen to create an ethical and values based business that provides decent and fair work for its employees.. Threads also offers opportunities for others to volunteer and thereby feel empowered by being part of a community group.
Meet The Team
Rachel
Rachel is a multi-talented individual who believes in the power of community. She grows her own fruit, veg and flowers as well as dealing with many of the practical aspects of Threads. Rachel is often the person on the other end of the phone when we’re setting up workshops. Maybe you’ve spoken to her yourself? When Rachel first got involved in Threads, she said she wasn’t that into crafts - she’s kind of changed her mind now!
Samira
Samira initially became part of Threads for her sewing skills. Then we learnt that Samira does fabric painting too. Samira hadn’t done any painting for so long, she’d almost forgotten she did it herself. Are we glad that Samira has started using her skills again?! Samira specialises in painting flowers and leaves, on T-shirts, silk and canvas. Samira is (obviously) responsible for all of Threads’ fabric painting workshops, available to individuals or groups.
Noelene
Noelene is a prolific card maker and passionate community worker. Noelene oozes generosity and warmth. She’s made card making infectious - visitors are offered a wealth of resources to make a unique card for any occasion. Noelene’s own cards are more like a work of art, we’re sure you’ll agree. Noelene is responsible for all of Threads’ card making workshops available to individuals or groups.
Tiria
Tiria is a collage artist passionate about creativity being a tool to bring people together and improve well-being. She loves a good natter and helping others to embrace their creativity! Alongside being on the Threads team, she is currently studying a masters in socially engaged art.
Anna
Anna is a big fan of any craft you can do around a coffee table with friends, and of course coffee. Anna has found that, over crafts, strangers can become friends through a shared experience and connect in both light and deep ways.
Anna’s love of silver jewellery and 15 minutes crafts inspired her passion of wire jewellery making, creating small pieces of art you can wear. As well as a display of your work, they act a little reminder of the people you created them with and the community that extends beyond you and around you.
Cathy
Cathy comes from a long line of women from the north west
of England who knitted and sewed. It’s in her genes.
Cathy’s grandma worked as a seamstress in one of
Lancashire’s cotton mills. Cathy inherited a tin of her
grandma’s buttons which inspired her to start making again. Cathy is a practical person and is keen on using the materials she has to make useful items that brighten up the darkest of days.
Emelia
Emelia shares her wisdom in Threads’ team meetings and our decision making. Emelia’s first experience of Threads was in one of our fabric painting workshops. Emelia doesn’t claim to be an artist, but we know that she is creative. Emelia is an excellent workshop leader; so skilled she could do it standing on her head! Emelia’s warmth and attention to detail will make sure everyone is welcome in Threads’ workshops.
Threads is more than our core team. We welcome others to the Threads community. We know and have experienced the many benefits to crafting and making. In a fast world, it helps us to slow down. It is proven to be good for our emotional and mental wellbeing and there is satisfaction in seeing a finished product which we have made ourselves. By sharing our skills we hope that others will experience these benefits too.
The core team get very excited about fabrics, card designs and food! We love to eat together. We hope others can too. We want to share what we have by offering a range of craft workshops and items for sale.
Threads is a not-for-profit social enterprise. We run as a Community Interest Company and therefore believe in putting our surplus back into the community. Our workshops are reasonably priced but in order to make them accessible to all, we do offer some subsidised places, and seek grant funding to enable us to run some that are completely free of charge. We also offer pay-as-you-feel workshops, especially for bespoke or new workshops in development.