Borders Pottery - Building Community Through Creative Engagement
Borders Pottery was established as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in November 2022, having previously been a private company. The organisation operates the Smiddy Café at Northfield Farm in St Abbs on a social enterprise basis, helping to cover the overhead and premises costs of the adjacent pottery studio.
The transformation to CIC status reflected the organisation's commitment to providing community benefits, specifically offering free and affordable pottery classes with professional tuition in a safe and comfortable environment for those experiencing isolation, poor mental health, or living with disabilities. Participants are referred through Borders Council Local Area Coordination (LAC) Mental Health Services. The organisation has grown to employ one full-time member of staff, five permanent part-time staff, five seasonal part-time staff, and three volunteers. The team operates both the café and pottery, providing pottery classes funded through café profits, pottery sales, and participant contributions. The pottery studio can accommodate between 4-6 people per class and is fully inclusive, welcoming participants of all ages and abilities.
Journey with the Drone Hill Fund
Initial Pilot Project (Spring 2023)
In spring 2023, Borders Pottery launched a pilot project addressing a community need for accessible, therapeutic activities for individuals with long-term physical or mental health conditions. The project offered free pottery workshops to participants referred by Berwickshire Local Area Coordination (LAC) Mental Health Service. Recognising the project's potential, the Drone Hill Wind Farm Community Fund awarded £7,464 to support the commencement of the project. This funding proved instrumental in establishing the foundation for what would become an important community resource.
Project Development and Outcomes
The tactile nature of working with clay and the careful design of classes proved particularly beneficial for participants, including those with autism or addiction issues. The regular weekly sessions provided a structured environment enabling participants to gradually build confidence and social connections without pressure. The funding supported both weekly sessions within the pottery studio and the purchase of a portable pottery wheel, enabling outreach work.
This included monthly clinic drop-in sessions in Reston, supporting those experiencing and recovering from addiction. These sessions were positively received and demonstrated the project's adaptability and reach.
Continued Growth (November 2024)
Building on the success of the pilot project, Borders Pottery received a second award of £10,000 in November 2024 to contribute towards wider project costs. This funding enabled the organisation to sustain and expand its programmes whilst developing new community initiatives that included:
- Mental Health Support Classes: Six-week blocks for 4-6 participants who are most severely impacted by their conditions.
- The Tag Team: A weekly women's-only group accommodating around 10 participants.
- Addiction Support Sessions: Monthly drop-in sessions for a local addiction support group of approximately 10 participants, held in Reston.
- Community Craft Programme: A new initiative led by existing participants from the referred programmes, designed to utilise and develop art and craft skills whilst providing opportunities to earn money through tutoring, develop employability skills, and connect with the wider community.
The expanded craft programme including pottery, sculpture, crochet, knitting, drawing, painting, printing, and "fixing sessions" where participants learn to repair items with guidance and provided tools and materials.
The success of the initial pottery focus has led to significant programme diversification:
- Craft activities: Macramé, crochet, wire art, watercolour, paper art, calligraphy
- Skill-based programmes: Woodworking, knitting clinics, yoga sessions
Community initiatives: Knitting library, exhibition planning
Impact and Achievements
The 2025 project has demonstrated significant reach within the Fund area:
- Total participants: 425 people engaged across all activities
- Local participation: 368 participants (87%) from the Fund area
- Community tutors: 100% sourced from within the Fund area
Programme Expansion: Unexpected Successes
Several developments exceeded initial expectations:
Organic Growth: Word-of-mouth promotion has been so effective that many sessions have waiting lists before formal advertising begins. This has necessitated holding back spaces to ensure equitable access rather than repeated participation by the same individuals.
Community Leadership: Participants who initially attended due to social anxiety are now leading groups themselves, demonstrating remarkable personal transformation and community capacity building.
Demographic Diversity: Woodworking sessions particularly attracted male participants who were less present at other activities, whilst weekend sessions drew younger people from farming communities and those in full-time employment.
Skills Recognition: The project has identified significant creative talent within the rural community, leading to plans for exhibitions and potential pathways into creative industries.
Individual Impact
One participant's journey highlights the project's transformative potential. A woman in her 50s experiencing social isolation due to long-term caring responsibilities, bereavement, physical health problems, and mobility issues initially attended a six-week pottery block.
Her progression demonstrates the project's holistic impact as she joined the ongoing weekly group creating items for café sale, gained confidence to attend all available activities, and became a volunteer crochet tutor. She has offered to help establish the community knitting library, regularly uses the café's 'free cuppa' scheme with fellow participants, and successfully sold pottery pieces while developing strong friendship networks that provide mutual support. This participant credits the group with "changing her life for the better," representing one of many similar transformations observed through the project.
Conclusion
Borders Pottery CIC's journey from a pilot project to an established community resource demonstrates the transformative power of creative activities in addressing social isolation and mental health challenges. The project's success lies not only in its direct therapeutic benefits but in its ability to build community capacity, support growth, and create sustainable networks of mutual support.
Read more about the Drone Hill Wind Farm Community Fund