Wrexham Sewing Studio CIC: Three Days of Creativity and Community at Wrecsam Ffair

When we look back at Wrecsam Ffair, some of the most important contributions weren’t necessarily the biggest or most visible.

Wrexham Sewing Studio CIC was a major part of the weekend, contributing across all three days and providing both a venue and a programme of creative, practical and family-friendly activities.

Based at Eagles Meadow, the Studio describes itself as a community sewing space offering free sewing facilities, creative workshops, a safe social space and opportunities to volunteer. Its work brings together sewing, garment repair, upcycling and textile crafts with a wider aim of helping people connect, learn and build confidence.

That made it a particularly good fit for Wrecsam Ffair.

Three days, lots of different activities

On Thursday, the Studio hosted a Community Bunting Workshop, giving people the chance to get involved in creating something together while adding to the visual identity of the Ffair.

On Friday, the programme continued with zip-making and colouring activities, followed later by a quiz night – bringing a different, more social dimension to the Studio’s contribution.

And on Saturday, the Studio really opened up the range of activities available, with something for both children and adults:

• Community bunting making
• A Studio Egg Hunt for children
• Craft activities
• Badge making
• Learn to Sew sessions
• Upcycling activities

It meant that the Studio wasn’t simply somewhere to drop into for one particular workshop. It became one of the places where people could spend time, make something, learn something new, meet other people and simply be part of the weekend.

Creativity as a way of bringing people together

That fits closely with the ethos of Wrexham Sewing Studio CIC.

The Studio’s own story describes how sewing began as a way for its founder, Gemma Oakley, to find calm, confidence and purpose before developing into a community project. Today, the Studio describes its work as combining creativity, community and compassion, with a focus on making creativity accessible and providing a welcoming environment where people can learn, talk, create and belong.

That is an important part of what Wrecsam Ffair was trying to achieve.

Belonging doesn’t always have to begin with a serious conversation. Sometimes it starts with making something together. Sometimes it’s learning a new skill. Sometimes it’s helping a child find an egg on a community treasure hunt. Sometimes it’s sitting down with other people for a quiz.

And sometimes it’s simply having somewhere welcoming to go.

A contribution worth recognising

We don’t have as many photographs from the Studio as we would like, which means the images don’t really tell the story of how much they contributed.

But over three days, Wrexham Sewing Studio CIC provided a venue, hosted activities, welcomed people through its doors and helped create the informal, creative and family-friendly atmosphere that was central to Wrecsam Ffair.

So this is partly a thank you – and partly an attempt to make sure that their contribution doesn’t disappear simply because we didn’t manage to take enough pictures.

Thank you to everyone at Wrexham Sewing Studio CIC for helping make Wrecsam Ffair a place where people could come together, make things, learn, laugh and belong.

Different skills. Different interests. Different people.

One community.