Partner
Testimonials

Handcrafted are brilliant! They work with those that we at Own My Life consider to be our “VIWs” (Very Important Women). For many women who have been most harmed it can be hard to trust organisations or seek support. Handcrafted create hope-filled, joyful spaces to enable women to own their lives. 

We love their open hearted support of women, their willingness to try new things, and the ways they meaningfully value our partnership to make the biggest difference to women’s lives

Working with the Handcrafted family has been like a breath of fresh air! It’s been invigorating to partner alongside people who share the same strong belief as we do in the capacity of people to turn their lives around. The passion and innovative thinking that they bring is second to none. Nothing is too big of a barrier and it’s that ‘can do’ attitude along with a sprinkling of humour that really makes the difference.

Our team refer service users to Handcrafted to access both the cafe and the workshop facilities. We believe the project to be always welcoming, friendly and non-judgemental. The staff are always happy to show potential users around and are justifiably proud of the space that they have developed. Most importantly the staff are highly skilled in engaging the clients in the benefits of making from wood and plastics to sewing and art. Attendees are from a variety of backgrounds and needs but all are involved and engaged. Space is also given for those that just want to relax and chat. This is a unique project and one we are happy to continue to work in partnership with.

Handcrafted have provided support to some of the most excluded individuals that we work with. Their approach, ethos, and environment encourages engagement at the persons own pace to achieve long lasting and positive change. Thank you and keep up the excellent work.

I attend a cookery class with my client and have nothing but praise to give. She gets to learn to cook and also take away all items prepared/cooked for free. It’s a chance for her to learn but also to grow and make new friends. [My client’s] confidence has grown extensively and she now talks feely and dances and sings throughout the whole session. It’s a pleasure to attend and bring her to the group which is life changing in so many ways for so many people.

There are countless challenges and barriers between our Fairchance service users and a healthy, productive and satisfying life.

We often use the term ‘chaotic lifestyle’ to describe the multitude of issues they face, and we contrast this lifestyle with an ideal that is secure, positive, stable and fulfilling. Often people looking in on the lifestyles of our service users find them intimidating, disorientating and full of risk – it should be no surprise that the same is true the other way around. For our service users who are looking into employment, education and stable accommodation, what they often see is a very unfamiliar culture and environment that they are unable to navigate.

Handcrafted helps to bridge this gap. It’s a middle ground between work and leisure where our service users are building confidence, self-esteem, working relationships, responsibilities, a sense of achievement. As a natural consequence of this and armed with the skills necessary to make this transition our service users are developing goals and ambitions and making plans for the futures that they are beginning to see as a reality for themselves.