Cluaran Heritage Project
Making space on Thursday the 1st of October is making space for a discussion about Climate change.
News of a showing of the “People’s Emergency Briefing” film, with discussion afterwards came in to WSC from a Forest Church contact.
Instead of meeting at the WSC workshop we will go to the film and join in the discussion. (At Dumfries Baptist Church centre)
We will be back in the Workshop on the 8th of October with blacksmithing and bench making being the two most popular activities.
Please meet at the workshop for safety briefing, equipment check, and so we know we have enough people!
If we are unable to row we can work on the oars, learn to hoist the sail on dry land, and feed Cluaran some boat soup.
Thursday evenings in September will see the return of “Making Space” evenings in the workshop.
Making Space is a time to get round to things. It is a club rather than taught workshops. It is also an opportunty for skills sharing.
Ongoing projects by WSC members include:
“Making Space” is about dropping in to give things a go. Simon is on hand to help, and there are found and recycled items to make things low cost.
First time is free, after that we ask for a donation to Wordsmith Crafts CIC to help cover costs.
Harvest is coming! We are well into Lughsanna, Lammas and can gather in the ripe fruits of the summer months.
Why?
So we can sit around all winter and tell or listen to stories! Perhaps this winter we will be able to do some more work on “The Floating Monastery” YouTube channel.
Would you like to be a part of the return of “Tales at the Tap“? Storytelling, Music and Ale.
Let us know what would interest you, and perhaps we can make it happen. In the meantime here is a selection of stories – and a playlist of live events – from 2021 (In combination with the amazing Viking Storyteller)
Thursday evenings until the 21st of May will continue to be “Making Space” in the workshop.
There has been a lot of tidying and sorting! (And lots still to do)
Ongoing projects include:
But “Making Space” is about dropping in to give things a go. Simon is on hand to help, and there are found and recycled items to make it low cost.
First time is free, after that we ask for a donation to Wordsmith Crafts CIC to help cover costs.
One more making space before Easter!
The 19th of March will be the last Thursday evening session of this block of Making spaces. They will return in April starting on the 16th of April.
May will see the summer show season begin, so our activity will be moving outdoors and around the Irish sea region. There is still time to get involved.
The nights are getting lighter, and the catkins are forming on the tips of trees.
Soon it will be time to launch cluaran again.
If you have time to help with maintaining the boat:
Make space on Thursday evenings in the WSC workshop 7 – 9
5th, 12th, and 19th of March. Then there will be a break for Easter.
Next possible launch date will be the 16th of April – but that still needs to be discussed and decided.
A location, a language, a way of life – a way to interpret the landscape deeply rooted and flourishing?
Here is an interesting project and resource:
Feàrna (Alder in Gaelic) is the name given to ongoing work in Mull aimed at improving understanding and finding connections between people of Gaelic heritage and people of other heritages living on the isle of Mull.
This website is a space to share some of the things we’ve been exploring thus far through Feàrna. It’s also a warm invitation to anyone else considering these questions – in Mull or further afield – to explore them with us.
(Text taken from their introduction to their website)
Requests for school visits are starting to come in! If you would like to be involved and haven’t seen the e-mails please get in touch.
We are continuing the Winter break from drop in “Making Space” evenings to take advantage of the opportunity raised by The Stove with “Phanto Spectra”. If you haven’t booked already check it out.
Of course, activated members have been active throughout the holidays! Making has continued and we have gauges for sizing oars. A ply rudder blade is roughly shaped and it will be ready for testing when the ice on the water melts. Just the fittings to forge!
Activated members also help keep a roof over the Cluaran club head! In 2026 Wordsmith Crafts CIC will need to focus on the “company” side of CIC a bit more. The community tends to run on goodwill and trade, but The Workshop roof is going to need replaced and due partly to complexities in the building materials this will cost cash. We now have three years of activity reports and this will hopefully provide a basis to develop the board of directors. The aim is to hold this in the first week in February!
Have a look at the journey so far and get in touch if you reckon you have skills to contribute to keeping things afloat and on course. Annual Reports at the Bottom of this page
Drop in Making space will return on the evening of Thursday the 22nd of January. Plan is to keep Thursday evenings clear for Cluaran until the 26th of March. Check the calendar to see if it will be a club drop in at the workshop, a night at the pub, or another adventure!
Free if it is your first time, £5 towards club overheads after that. These are not taught craft workshops – but get in touch if you are interested in one of those!