Durham Stick Makers receive Banks Group grant to expand craft capacity

Durham Stick Makers received an £1,836 grant from the Banks Group's Banks Community Fund to buy three new frame sets, increasing the group's capacity as it works to grow membership and preserve the traditional walking-stick craft.

Durham Stick Makers is a community group that teaches and promotes the heritage craft of making walking sticks, canes and shepherds' crooks. The group meets twice a week at the Fence Houses Community Centre and has 35 members from across County Durham and the wider North East. It has received an £1,836 grant from the Banks Group's Banks Community Fund to purchase three new sets of frames used to prepare materials before carving. Group leaders say the equipment will help them increase capacity and attract younger members as they seek a sustainable future for the craft. Key facts: - The group meets twice weekly at Fence Houses Community Centre and is described as the only group of its type in the North East. - Membership stands at 35, with members ranging from their twenties to their nineties; the group aims to grow to at least 50 members next year. - A grant of £1,836 from the Banks Community Fund funded three new sets of frames for preparing materials before carving. - Members have made items for King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Duke of Northumberland, and the group carries out stick repairs for a nominal fee. - The group provides charitable help to people who need walking sticks because of injury, age-related disability or financial difficulty, and offers regular social time for members. Summary: The grant is reported to increase the group's practical capacity and support efforts to pass the craft to younger generations. Durham Stick Makers plan to develop links with several Durham University colleges and to expand classes and workshops as they work toward a larger membership base.