Weaving Better Lives

Aim

Supporting disadvantaged people back into the community and employment.

Support "Weaving Better Lives" to help young adults of Stirling from disadvantaged groups to overcome social isolation. Whether they are survivors of trauma, have a disability, come from the LGBTQI+ community or are refugees living in Stirling. We work with them to settle into their new community. 

You can help them learn skills they need for further education, purposeful volunteering and to gain employment. This will increase their financial independence. leading to better wellbeing. 

Support Radical Weavers: Enabling people back into the community and employment.

Radical Weavers is a social enterprise is dedicated to transforming lives by reaching out and engaging with people. Our mission is to create a safe, inclusive space where individuals can be themselves, receive peer support, and valuable resources to help them thrive.

We are now at a pivotal moment in our journey. We have a significant opportunity to transform our new larger premises, into a vibrant hub of community support. We will build a safe refuge for vulnerable individuals, and a place of growth and empowerment for all.

To achieve this ambition, we need to raise at least £30,000. These funds will allow us to fully realise the potential that this new site offers. Join us in this exciting chapter and help us grow into the future we envision. Together, we can create a more supportive, connected, and thriving community in Stirling.

Here's how we plan to use the money:

Renovations and Equipment: Vital upgrades are needed to make more of the space safe and usable. We need to buy the equipment we use every day that is currently on loan to us. We need new equipment to finish the woven fabrics.

Program Development: Expanding our training programs by registering as an SQA centre and employing an administrator to mange certification of courses. This will enable us to provide certificates for the participants new skills that will lead to employment. 

Community Engagement: We want to be able to host even more community events and workshops that bring together diverse groups and foster a sense of belonging and mutual support.

Thank you for your support!

Our story so far...

The charity work began in 2019 by the visionary Mairi Breslin. In 2023 we became Radical Weavers as we developed and focused, putting weaving at the centre of our work. Last year we moved to new premises and the team have worked hard to get us to where we are today. We have created a bright, creative, studio space from its former life as a restaurant. It includes a home for a Hattersley domestic loom, two Swedish style floor looms, workshop space to provide weaving classes and a retail shop to sell the fine weaving produced in the studio. 

We have listened and responded to the needs of our community developing our two key projects Nip & Tuck and Crafting for Good. 

To support our work the team weave unique pieces or fabric to make items that we sell from the studio shop and online. We have also developed a range of unique craft kits which the team produce here in the studio.

We are able to offer a number of budding new artists a space to work at favourable rates to help them establish and test their own business model. 

Crafting for Good offers people the opportunity to learn or relearn craft skills in a safe and welcoming environment. When they are confident in their making ability, the finished pieces  are donate to charities. People develop a sense of community within our creative therapeutic studio environment.

Nip & Tuck help trans and non-binary people alter clothing to make it fit and flatter them in a way that off-the-rack clothing doesn’t. The workshops are also designed to foster a sense of community and connection within a group that is often socially isolated.

Weave Cozy Packs for Shelter & Start Up Stirling. We are looking for volunteers to help us make Cozy Packs for Shelter & Start Up Stirling this winter. You'll make blankets, hot water bottle covers, and draught excluders. No experience necessary!

Testimonials

“Radical weavers have got my life back on track.... No... Radical Weavers have actually saved my life!” 

“I was so frustrated before not being able to show on the outside who I am on the inside. Now I can do that!” 

“I wouldn't know how to ask somebody to help me make my clothes fit. Now I can do that myself and it feels awesome!”

Our Mission

Our mission is simple yet effective, to deliver creative experiences in our trauma-informed studio.  

Our activities are driven by our core values which are: 

• Inclusive 
  • Inspiring  
    • Wholehearted 

What we have achieved so far

Throughout the year we have been working on “what next” after participants had become proficient at their chosen craft. From the discussions we had, we have devised our re-engagement pathway. This has allowed people to work towards regular volunteering, employment, college, or university. 

235 people took part in our community projects in the last year and 

 we were assisted by 10 volunteers.

We need your help! Every donation & pledge matters

We have two generous offers of matched funding.  For every pledge of up to £250 both Aviva Community Fund and Creative Scotland Crowdmatch will match the donation. This means that for every £10 of donation, we will receive a total of £30. We are also able to claim gift aid on eligible donations. Rewards are also match funded. Thank you to our funding partners for their generous support. 

We need your help to make this vision a reality. The funds raised through this Crowdfunder will be crucial in achieving our vision. 

Our Aims

By providing this safe, secure studio, we will empower young people to 

• gain financial independence 
• break generational cycles of a "can't do" mindset. 

We will to do this by:

Enhanced Employability:

• Our training programs in the art of weaving, retail skills, and entrepreneurship will  
  • equip people with marketable skills, 
  • provide practice as volunteers and supported employment,
  • increase their employability and their ability to secure stable employment.
• This directly supports their financial wellbeing by enabling them to earn a sustainable income.

Entrepreneurial Skills:

• We will offer entrepreneurship workshops that guide people in starting their own small businesses. This includes business planning, marketing, and financial management, empowering them to take control of their financial futures and potentially create jobs within their communities.

Who Will Benefit

Our services are targeted towards: 

• Economic or socially disadvantaged groups, providing free access to our workshops to ensure no one is excluded. 
• Individuals with disabilities who require adaptive equipment and personalised teaching methods. 
• The LGBTQI+ community, particularly transgender and non-binary individuals, through tailored programs like Nip & Tuck. 
• Refugees and immigrants, integrating them into the community through collaborative craft projects that celebrate cultural diversity. 

This project successfully funded on 16th December 2024