Durham Stick Makers carving out future with new equipment grant

Traditional heritage craft skills are set to be passed on to the next generation after a four-figure grant from a regional employer enabled a County Durham community group to bring in specialist new equipment.

Durham Stick Makers teaches and promotes the heritage craft of constructing traditional walking sticks, canes and shepherds’ crooks from timber, animal horn and antlers, a skill which dates back more than 2,000 years.

The group meets twice a week at the Fence Houses Community Centre and is the only one of its type in the North East, with its 35 members coming from both across the county and the wider region.

Members range from being in their twenties through to in their nineties, with the Stick Makers now working to increase its membership to at least 50 next year through evolving links with a number of Durham University colleges.

An £1,836 grant from the Banks Group’s Banks Community Fund has enabled the Stick Makers to acquire three new sets of frames, which are used to prepare the materials before work on carving them begins and will give them more capacity to accommodate the new members they are looking to attract.

Durham Stick Makers’ members have made a number of items for King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Duke of Northumberland, while they also carry out stick repairs for a nominal fee.

As well as preserving their historic craft, the group also offers charitable help to people who require a walking stick due to injury, age-related disabilities and financial difficulties, while it also provides opportunities for members to spend social time together that they might not otherwise have.

Durham Stick Makers’ secretary Michael Timmins says: ”Our group was born out of a desire to keep this endangered heritage craft alive, and our aim is to preserve it, educate future generations about it and engage with the local community.

“The social side of what we do is also really valuable, with the chance to spend time in a welcoming environment a couple of times a week being especially important for the well-being of many of our older members.

“Giving a craft like stick making a sustainable future means gaining younger people’s interest in it, giving them the chance to learn all about it from those who have the knowledge they need and providing the equipment they need to put their learning into action. 

“As a small community group, we don’t really have the cash available to make a capital purchase like this in one go.

“Having the Banks Group’s support is going to make a real difference to our long-term future, and we’d love to see more people coming along to our classes and workshops in the coming months.”

Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, adds: “Incredible levels of skill and craftsmanship go into making these wonderful creations and it’s a pleasure to see these local experts at work.

“The Durham Stick Makers have a real commitment to pass their knowledge on to future generations and we’re very pleased to be supporting their drive towards doing so.”

For further information on the Durham Stick Makers, please visit https://www.durham-stickmakers.com or email info@durham-stickmakers.com

The Banks Group’s community funds are independently managed by Point North (formerly the County Durham Community Foundation).

Anyone from a community close to a Banks Group project who is interested in applying for funding from the Banks Community Fund should contact the company via its website enquiry form (www.banksgroup.co.uk/contact-us/) to find out if their group or project is eligible.