Gift of tools brings jewellery making to LandWorks
The tradition of passing silversmithing and jewellery making tools from one craftsperson to another spans millennia, but what happens when you have no one to pass your tools on to? In the case of Mia Walker, whose father passed away in late 2024, she has donated them to LandWorks, an award-winning resettlement charity that the Goldsmiths’ Foundation has supported since 2023. Fiona Thompson takes up the story of a facilitated donation, which has helped to bring jewellery making to LandWorks.
“For some of our trainees, their previous experience of handling jewellery may have been on the wrong side of the law, so it’s fitting that their rehabilitation might include creating their own pieces, and experiencing the craftsmanship, labour and love that goes into the work,” says Chris Parsons, Project Director of LandWorks.
LandWorks is a resettlement project for people who are either at risk of going to prison or who have just come out of prison. Based in the idyllic setting of the Dartington Estate in South Devon, the charity provides life-changing placements of 6-9 months to build trainees’ self-worth, confidence and responsibility.
“We do things in a very holistic way,” says Chris. “Trainees develop practical skills in woodworking, growing vegetables, pottery, cooking, and arts and crafts.”
LandWorks also has a small shop where it sells wooden products, ceramics and gifts created by trainees, as well as fresh vegetables grown on site. This brings in 22% of the charity’s income.
LandWorks has an impressive track record. In the 11 years that it’s been running, over 200 trainees have taken part in the charity’s programme. Of those former trainees who are available to work, over 90% are currently in employment, and LandWorks’ monitoring shows a reoffending rate of just 6%, compared with the national rate of 37% for people coming out of prison.
In 2023, the Goldsmiths’ Foundation supported LandWorks with a £30,000 grant towards supporting core costs over a period of three years.
Chris comments: “This long-term funding was a vote of confidence in our project. It makes a tremendous difference and means we can plan for the future.”
Following the award, Chris visited Goldsmiths’ Hall in London with his wife, Julie, who also works on the project.
“During our visit, we mentioned that some of our trainees had previously tried their hand at jewellery making, using some basic equipment that had been donated to us,” says Chris. “Steve, our site maintenance co-ordinator, is an amateur silversmith and helped people to make silver rings for themselves and their loved ones.”
In early 2025, the Goldsmiths’ Foundation received an enquiry from Mia Walker - a member of the public who was trying to find a good home for a variety of jewellery making and silversmithing tools and a jewellery bench, that had belonged to her Dad. He had sadly passed away during the previous Christmas, and Mia’s family were keen to see the tools put to good use.
“We knew straight away where the equipment could have the greatest impact and got on the phone to the team at LandWorks,” explains Michelle O’Brien, the Foundation’s Head of Charitable Partnerships.
LandWorks has now set aside an area in the art Portacabin for a jewellery workshop and the first basic ‘meltings and pourings’ have already taken place, under Steve’s watchful eye.
“The aim is for trainees to not only make jewellery for themselves, but also to craft pieces that can be sold in the LandWorks shop,” says Steve. “We’re looking to use old copper pipe to melt down for copper jewellery and are gathering silver spoons for silverware.”
“There’s been a lot of excitement at having this new equipment,” adds Chris. “It’s lovely when ideas take off and people get involved. It supports our belief that art and creativity can play an important role in helping people to get their lives back on track.”