Welcome to the Big Skill!
We offer workshops in traditional and contemporary craft, art, outdoor skills and wellbeing across Wales and Herefordshire. It is our hope that they will help people to learn new skills, improve confidence and mental wellbeing and build community. They are open to everyone, but are of particular importance in communities where there are higher levels of low income and social isolation. Our workshops revolve around skill sharing, exchanging ideas & support between everyone, tutors and participants alike.
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As well as the community workshops, we also run sessions for many organisations, often working with the most vulnerable in our society. We are very proud of our ‘accessibility to all’ policy, and have worked with groups and individuals of all needs and races for more than thirteen years. We work with groups that have huge diversity of needs with physical and mental disabilities, and events where there are many languages spoken like the refugee days we take part in.
We have a team of skilled, experienced, adaptable practitioners who provide relaxed, sessions in a huge array of activities, from painting, stained glass, clay sculpture and printing, to bush-craft and traditional rural skills like basketry, hedge-laying and foraging. The wellbeing workshops offer sessions in gardening for mental health, yoga and walks to learn about the landscape whilst meeting people and getting outside. This is just a small selection of what we offer, please see the full list on the workshops below.
We run a wonderful Agored Cymru accredited training course plan too. These courses are usually a day a week over 4 or 6 weeks and are in a variety of traditional craft or outdoor skills disciplines. They are very relaxed, yet informative, a lovely way to add to your CV whilst learning a new skill and being sociable.
We are delighted to now be making a permanent base at the beautiful Craig Y Nos Country Park in the Swansea Vale. There we will offer our many workshops, accredited courses, walks and talks in a stunning location. We will continue to work with other partner venues in different areas, so please do get in touch if you would like us to run a workshop for you.
Below is a list of our partner organisations, and the workshops we can currently offer.
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Art & Craft
Stained glass, Lantern making, Felt making, Recycled crafts, Printmaking, Painting, Pottery, Clay Sculpture, Metalwork, Textiles, Embroidery, Macramé, Weaving, Spinning. Video, Photography and Children's classes.
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Traditional crafts and Outdoor
Willow basketry, Foraging, Dry stone walling, Hedge-laying, Charcoal making, Green wood- work, Therapeutic Gardening, Yoga.
Walks/Talks
Droving, Geology, History
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Partner Organisations
BBNPA, Joseph Herman Trust, Refugee Trust, MS Society. MIND, Mental Health Team, Healthy Lifestyles, Monmouthshire Carers, Craig-y-Nos country park, Bannau Brechieniog Libanus, Abergavenny Community Centre, Melville Centre - Abergavenny.
Saxon Hall, Hereford, Aspire Community Hub, Stand Hall - Builth Wells, The Muse - Brecon, St Elvans Church - Aberdare, Bannau Brechieniog - Libanus.
