More Than Just a Bench…
…a Community Upcycling Project
At Waymakers, we believe that learning doesn't only happen around a table or in a workshop. It happens through meaningful, shared experiences that connect us with one another, our environment, and our wider community.
That's why our picnic bench is becoming much more than somewhere to sit. It has been donated and delivered today by a kind benefactor who liked the sound of what we do. A huge thank you to them for their kindness, generosity and interest!
It started with an idea from Curiosity Hub that they’d like something to sit and climb on in our outdoor space. We followed up on that idea by keeping our eyes peeled for a low-cost second hand picnic bench and found one being given away for free. We tried to collect it; it wouldn’t fit in our van - the owner kindly said if we could wait a few weeks they’d deliver it when they were hiring a larger van. Now it’s turning into a mini Deep Dive community project for Curiosity Hub and anyone in the wider Waymakers community who’d like to be involved.
Every Pair of Hands Matters
From September, anyone attending a Waymakers core group or if they have a few spare moments at a Deep Dive held at Springstead, will be welcome to play a small part in preparing our bench for a new lease of life. We have basket of sandpaper, sanding blocks (made and donated in different sizes by a Waymakers volunteer) and info/safety/activity sheets waiting in our shed (risk assessment also done and available on request).
Whether someone spends two minutes or twenty sanding, every contribution matters.
Children, young people and adults can:
choose a sanding block that feels comfortable in their hands
learn how different grades of sandpaper work
help smooth the surface ready for painting
suggest colours for the finished bench
sign their name to become part of its story
choose whether they'd like to help paint it later if we can make that happen (may depend on availability)
There is no expectation to do lots or do it quickly. Small contributions add up to something wonderful when a community works together.
Learning Through Real Work
One of the things we love most about woodworking is that it teaches patience.
Unlike many activities where the results are instant, wood responds slowly. It invites us to notice texture, grain and detail. As we sand, we're not trying to strip everything back or erase its history. We're simply preparing it for its next chapter.
Real projects like this naturally develop:
practical skills
confidence using tools safely
fine motor control
problem solving
perseverance
teamwork
pride in caring for shared spaces.
Because the project has a genuine purpose, the learning feels meaningful rather than manufactured.
Caring for the Things We Already Have
Upcycling is one small way we can care for our planet.
Every object that is repaired, restored or reused is one less item that needs replacing. It saves resources, reduces waste and helps us appreciate the materials that have already been taken from the Earth.
Wood is an extraordinary renewable material when forests are managed sustainably. Trees quietly store carbon, provide habitats for wildlife, help regulate our climate and can continue serving people for generations through thoughtful craftsmanship.
When we repair wooden objects rather than throwing them away, we're honouring all of that.
Humans Are Part of Nature
At Waymakers, we don't see people as separate from the natural world.
We are part of it.
The choices we make—whether that's repairing a bench, planting a seed, reducing waste or learning traditional skills—are all opportunities to care for the ecosystems we belong to.
Woodworking has connected humans with forests for thousands of years. When done thoughtfully, it reminds us that using natural materials also comes with a responsibility to protect them.
Small acts of stewardship matter.
A Bench That Belongs to Everyone
When the project is finished, this won't simply be a Waymakers bench.
It will be a bench that is shared with other venue users too.
Hopefully, every time someone sits down, they'll be enjoying something that dozens of young people helped create—one careful sanding block at a time.
Perhaps they'll never know who smoothed that seat or chose the paint colour.
But our community will.
And that's part of what makes it special.
Forge Your Path. Shape Your World.
Sometimes shaping your world begins with something as simple as picking up a sanding block and helping make an old bench ready for many more years of conversations, picnics, friendships and learning.
A woodworking Deep Dive is also planned for the Autumn term so do keep an eye out for that!
