A new workspace has been opened up at Portland Works thanks to funding from the Friends.

Thom Tietzsch Tyler has been making hand-crafted guitars at the Works for two years in a room on the first floor overlooking Randall Street.  He uses a combination of new and reclaimed materials for his high-quality custom-made instruments.  But his workshop was proving too small.

On the opposite side of the Works on the first floor of C Block the Daniels Brothers create hand-made toys and unique items from reclaimed timber that they salvage from around Sheffield.  And their workshop was far bigger than they needed.

Sub-dividing the space has created a bigger workshop for Thom and enabled the two businesses to work alongside each other.  Volunteers cleared unwanted material left behind by a previous tenant and stripped and painted walls, doors and windows.  A professional builder was brought in to install a new plasterboard ceiling because the original was beyond repair.

As well as funding this project, a donation from the Friends also paid for two new doors and frames to improve security and fire-resistance for the manager’s office and Stuart Mitchell’s workshop in G block.

Our contribution towards this work totalled £805.11.