The Handicrafts project has its origins at Calcutta Rescue’s first project – the street clinic on Middleton Row. The sewing teacher from CR’s school was seconded to train former patients how to make clothes. Before long, those former patients were producing clothes for the clinic’s existing patients. At the same time, of course, they were themselves earning a wage that helped them to support themselves and their families. This was vital employment for people whose opportunities for work were otherwise severely limited by illness.

Among the volunteers who worked at the clinic was a designer, Julie Spreckley, who encouraged this activity and saw in it the scope for expansion and diversification. She taught children from the CR school to make small handicraft items – key rings, bookmarks and cards – that gave those children valuable vocational skills.

The success of this led to former patients being trained and employed to make handicrafts of a sufficiently high standard that they could be sold abroad. Not only did this generate employment and income for people who would otherwise have found it very difficult to find safe work, it also raised funds for CR’s work.

Demand for handicrafts increased steadily and the need for a larger working area soon became clear. Space was made in the school for a small group of people to work on stitching and make a growing number of handicraft items. Successive volunteers also taught the participants new skills – in art, embroidery, woodwork, painting and other crafts.