21 May 2025 –
LandWorks is excited to announce the establishment of a new Jewellery workshop, thanks to a generous donation of jewellery making equipment which has found its way to us via the Worshipful Goldsmiths’ Company in London.
The Goldsmiths’ Company, as it more commonly known, has been a proactive and interested funder of LandWorks for the past two years. It was founded over 700 years ago as a craft guild. Today, it trains and supports jewellers and silversmiths and allied trades, protects consumers by testing and hallmarking precious metals, and works with charitable, educational, and cultural partners like LandWorks to help improve life chances.
Following a visit by the Goldsmiths’ Company to LandWorks last summer, our Project Director Chris Parsons and PeN Project Lead Julie Parsons were invited to London to see the beautiful Goldsmiths’ Hall, one of London’s hidden treasures.
“During our visit we mentioned that some of our trainees had previously tried their hand at jewellery making at LandWorks, using some basic equipment that had been donated to us,” said Chris. “Steve, our site maintenance co-ordinator, is an amateur silversmith and helped them create some silver rings for themselves and their loved ones.”
The Goldsmith Company was delighted to hear this – so much so, that in January they passed on to LandWorks the details of someone whose jewellery-making father had died, and who wanted to find a good home for his silversmithing desk and equipment. “We knew straight away where the equipment could have the greatest impact and got on the phone to Chris,” explained Michele O’Brien, the Company’s Head of Charitable Partnerships.
LandWorks has set aside an area in the art Portacabin for the jewellery workshop, and the first basic ‘meltings and pourings’ have already taken place, under Steve’s watchful eye. “The aim is for the trainees to not only make jewellery for themselves, but also to craft pieces that can be sold in the LandWorks shop,” said Steve. “We are looking to use old copper pipe to meltdown for copper jewellery and also gather silver spoons for silverware.”
“I think it’s fair to say that for some of our trainees their previous experience of handling jewellery may been on the wrong side of the law, so it is fitting that their rehabilitation might include creating their own pieces, and experiencing the craftsmanship, labour and love that goes into it,” said Chris.
Watch this space – and the LandWorks shop – for further updates on our venture into jewellery making!
