The Makershed @ St. Pauls Learning Centre
We offer the opportunity to learn new crafts and skills from a team of experienced makers and tutors. We provide affordable and inclusive courses to support you from beginner level to independent project work.
Our mission is to help people discover what they can make and what they can do, to enable them to experience the flow of making by hand and the feeling of achievement having made something useful and tangible or creative.
Our teaching workshop is based in the vibrant St Pauls area of Bristol, within the St Pauls Learning Centre, and is open to everyone who wants to get making.
How to book
Book and pay online – The quickest and easiest way to book a place is directly through our website. Payments are processed using WooCommerce Payments.
You can also:
Book and pay by email and bank transfer – You can enrol via email and pay by bank transfer. Please contact us on hello@themakershed.co.uk to make arrangements.
Book and pay in person – You can enrol in person at The Makershed and pay by cash. Please contact us on hello@themakershed.co.uk to make arrangements for your visit.
Traveling to classes
The St Pauls Learning Centre encourages use of public transport and arriving by foot/on a bike. We are a 15 minute walk from the bus station and a 25 minute walk from Temple Meads train station. If you are cycling, there are bike stands outside the centre where you can lock your bike up.
Parking
St Pauls Learning Centre does have a small number of parking spaces attached to it for people using the centre. If you park in one of these spaces, make sure you give your registration number to the centre receptionist to avoid a parking ticket. Otherwise, parking is available on-road in neighbouring streets and there are usually plenty of spaces. Road spaces are a mixture of residents-only and pay-at-the-meter using the Ringo app. Weekdays 9am till 5pm the pay-at-the-meter spaces are charged a £1 per hour and available for a maximum of 3 hours at a time. During the evenings and at weekends there are no restrictions or charges for these spaces. Cabot Circus multi-storey car park is less than a 15 minute walk away and there are also roads in nearby areas such as St Werburgs and Easton with no parking restrictions.
Finding The Makershed
The Makershed workshop is situated inside the St Pauls Learning Centre, next to the hall. Please enter the centre through the main entrance and follow the signs. The St Pauls Learning Centre telephone number is 0117 914 5470.
What to bring to your course
Please wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty and sturdy shoes with enclosed toes.
All tools and materials are provided for you unless specified otherwise in the course listing.
Tea and coffee is available in the workshop.
Lunch
If you are with us for the whole day then you are welcome to bring and eat lunch here in the workshop. There is also a Community Cafe in the St Pauls Learning Centre – Glen’s Kitchen serves (late) breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Glen offers a range of meals including English and Caribbean cuisine.
Baba Ganoush Kitchen and Coral Cafe are both a 5 – 10 minute walk away.
Inclusion
It is important to us that our courses are as inclusive as possible. If there is anything we can do to support or facilitate your participation please do let us know by emailing hello@themakershed.co.uk.
At your sole discretion you may want to inform us of any medical or physical conditions, or other circumstances that may impact your ability to take part in a course. We can then talk to you about what additional support we may be able to provide.
Young People
Our courses are aimed at adults but we do allow young people over the age of 16 to attend provided that they themselves have a genuine interest in the course.
Concession Rate Fees
Unfortunately we are not able to offer concession rate fees at the current time. You may however be eligible for a funded place through Bristol City Council Future Bright services.
The Makershed Terms and Conditions
1. Who can book our courses?
Anyone over the age of 18.
2. Who can participate in our courses?
Our courses are aimed at adults but we do allow minors aged over 16 years to participate if they are accompanied by an adult.
3. Booking for other people
If you make a booking for someone else please let us know the name and email address of the participant so that we can send them these terms and conditions and the relevant health and safety information before their course starts. Your booking is not complete until the participant agrees to our terms and conditions, which must be at least 14 days before the course starts or on booking if within this time frame.
4. How are payments processed?
The Makershed website uses Stripes to process your credit/debit card payments.
5. Paperwork
When we receive your order and payment we will send you a booking receipt and order number. If you require a VAT invoice please email us.
6. Changing a booking
We do our best to accommodate changes to bookings. We can move your booking to alternative dates or an alternative course if we have places available and provided that you give us at least 14 days notice. If your course starts in the next 14 days we will still do our best to accommodate your request by re-selling your place but we can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to.
7. Cancelling a booking
You can cancel a booking up to 14 days before the course start date and we will refund you the fee you paid less a 10% cancellation fee.
8. Tutor changes
We may sometimes need to use a different tutor than the one advertised for a course due to tutor illness but we will always make sure your tutor has the necessary experience and ability so that your learning and enjoyment is not compromised.
9. Cancellation by us
We very rarely have to cancel courses but in this unlikely event we will give you the choice of either moving to new course dates or a full and immediate refund.
10. Health and safety
All of our courses are risk assessed and participation is subject to health and safety rules. Generic health and safety rules will be emailed to you before your course start date and course specific health and safety rules will be explained to you by your tutor. You must abide by these rules and if you persistently fail to do so we reserve the right to end your participation in a course without refund.
11. Equalities policy
The Makershed is committed to the provision of a learning and making environment where everyone is treated equally and with respect and consideration.
We do not tolerate discriminatory behaviour or harassment of any kind, including any expression which aims to incite discrimination or hatred against any person or group, especially on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability or socio-economic background.
By booking a course you acknowledge and accept our equalities policy and we reserve the right to end your participation in a course without refund if your behaviour whilst at The Makershed is not in line with this policy.
12. Course materials
Our weekends and Tuesday evenings Level 1 course fees include the cost of materials. All other materials must be paid for separately and as you use them. Payment can be made either through the Makershed website, by bank transfer or in cash if you have the correct money.
13. Liability disclaimer
We will use all reasonable endeavours to keep you and your property safe whilst you are participating in a course and do not exclude or limit in any way our liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so. Your participation in our courses is however at your own risk and by making a booking you agree not to bring any claim against the Makershed for any loss, damage or injury not caused by our negligence. Your property is left unattended on our premises at your own risk.