In 2011, Sustainable Thornbury held a series of public skills workshops and demonstrations to give everyone the opportunity to do things differently or to try something new. Apart from being fun, creative and saving money, we believe these skills will make us more resilient and could become important in a world without oil.
The topics we chose would enable people to make better use of their resources by re-using, saving energy, repairing, recycling and preserving and included clothes, food, cooking, gardening, cycling, and health. Hints and tips on some of these topics can be found on our Hints and Tips web pages.
Four events were run:-
Windmill Hill City Farm also run skills courses.
We have now tried out the new Kilner jars. They can be used for bottling fruit, but only using the water bath method. See our Food Preserving page for details.
Our first workshop was an exciting opportunity to remodel your clothes with Janine from Custard House Clothing in Bristol. Janine showed us how to change old clothes into something modern and stylish by cutting and sewing. Participants were invited to bring along something they would like to remake or remodel and get ideas & help to get started. Janine also showed examples of her customised work to inspire everyone.
On 19th February, our workshop was about making hotboxes. Hotboxes are slow cookers that need no fuel to cook with, like hayboxes, but using modern insulation. Find more information about them at the HotBox Co website. Participants were able to cut out, sew and stuff their own hotbox to take away with them. They also had a simple soup lunch from soup made in hotboxes.
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Sewing the hotboxes |
 Workshop participants |
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A finished hotbox |
On Saturday 21st May, we offered a range of workshops all on one day, called Skill-Up Day.
See the printable flier (PDF 96KB) and Booking form (PDF 7KB).
Four different workshops were on offer on 21st May:-
All the skill-up day workshops took place at the Chantry, and lasted for about two hours.
Workshops
cost £5 per person (under-18s £1, Sustainable
Thornbury members £4) which included refreshments on arrival.
For people booking two workshops, tea/coffee was be available and there
was space for picnics at lunchtime. During the day
participants were also able to purchase items and materials at the bike
maintenance, herbs and toiletries workshops.
Saturday July 16th was Food Preservation Day, where people learnt to make jam, produce chutney or bottle fruit and vegetables.
Preservation is about keeping your summer garden surpluses and cheap seasonal produce for times when there is not much in the garden or on the allotment, and seasonal produce in the shops is expensive or imported or both. It is fun and satisfying to have your own preserves – they taste better and save money too. Hints and tips on food preserving can be found on our Hints and Tips pages, including details of how to use the new Kilner jars for bottling fruit.
Experienced preservers of food were on hand to demonstrate how to do it. Participants were able to see what to look for and ask questions, to take advantage of summer produce to have a go.
The venue was St Mary's Church Hall. The cost was £6 (£5 for ST members, £1 for under-18s), refreshments included. The workshop ran from 9:30am to 1pm.
We have now tried out the new Kilner jars. They can be used for bottling fruit, but only using the water bath method. See our Food Preserving page for details.
 Checking the jam |
 Bottling the chutney |
 Sealing the chutney |
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