Winners of the Scottish Arts Council Adult Learners Week 2005 Award,
nominated by Drew Easton, East Lothian Council, Musselburgh

The Stained Glass Club was established in order to interest people of all ages and backgrounds in developing skills working with glass. Having attended a local authority organised class in the Fisherrow Community Centre, the then group of six members decided to pool their resources and set out to expand their membership. The group approached the local Community Development Officer (CDO) to ask if there was room for a stained glass club within the community centre on a more permanent basis. Such was their enthusiasm and energy, the CDO was able to acommodate them and provided information on Arts Council funding.

The group successfully applied for an "Awards for All" grant of £2,500, enabling them to purchase much needed equipment and employ a class tutor to help new members. The funding also helped the group to set up a book-keeping system, form a committee, open a bank account and advertise for more members. Without doubt securing funding was a major boost to confidence, and as the group started to grow, so did the need for extra space.

A second grant application was submitted, the group received £4500. The additional funding helped secure extra space and new equipment, such as a glass fusion kiln. This in turn led to new skills and techniques needing to be learned.

The Stained Glass Club has been a great success and membership currently stands at 35. They have also been able to provide a very flexible programme in line with their aim to make club membership available to all. Speaking of their experience the group say: "We have learned that we can help each other, not only in working with glass but also working s a team on things that we thought were not possible. There is also an atmosphere of caring and rapport in the club, and we now have a small group of members who can tutor and train new members. We are currently planning to contact local secondary schools to offer glass-making sessions during the summer break, and we will soon be making small items to sell at craft fairs to finance purchase of tools and equipment. Overall this has been a great learning experience, we have really surpassed our expectations."

The Stained Glass Club has created its own success and is going from strength to strength. An inspirational piece of work combining individual and collective effort, the future looks very promising with the group not only achieving its own goals but also contributing to the development and management of the Centre's redevelopment project. Congratulations to all involved and good luck for the future.

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