The Easiest Insurance for Craft Class

Picture for a minute two heads bowed together; mother and daughter as the former demonstrates the intricacies of lace making (or spinning, or straw plaiting …) to the latter. Picture too a father and son working together on the land, the conversations, the life advice, the daily mentoring. Then look a little further into those children’s futures. The girl may have commenced work under the supervision of a seamstress, and the boy may have learnt a trade as an apprentice to a blacksmith or bodger. While no one disputes that life was tough in numerous ways in pre industrialised Britain, there are some aspects of family and community from which we could glean some wisdom in our highly individualistic, computerised society.  

Loneliness, for example, is a huge problem in the twenty-first century, not only amongst the elderly and housebound but throughout all sectors of society. Many move away from the family home for education or work, settle down and then go on to raise their own children without the support of grandparents and plentiful aunts, uncles and cousins. Online friendships are no substitute for real ones, chatting over a mug of tea or working out at the gym together. We are not designed to live in isolation and even the most introverted amongst us need community.  

Enter crafting workshops! These offer a delightful space both to pass on traditional skills to others and also to nurture community. Whether it be a six-week evening course, a Saturday workshop or a rolling class, if you decide to run one of these you will most probably not be short of attendees. There are so many benefits for joining with others to craft together, not least that it is a wonderful way to ensure these time honoured skills are not lost but are indeed revived.  

With many of us using screens for our work, there is an increasing yearning to get away from them during our leisure time. In tandem with this, many of us do not work with our hands anymore and are therefore losing out on the calming sensory input of handling different textures, from soft wool through to squishy clay. While we get far too many unhelpful dopamine hits from pings on social media, the sense of satisfaction when we have mastered a new skill or completed a beautiful project is a much healthier one. In addition, the repetitive actions required in many crafting techniques are also calming, necessitating just the right level of concentration to block out the cycle of anxiety while allowing for easy conversation. All these, combined with a warm welcome and the sense of community in shared learning, do wonders to promote a sense of wellbeing and acceptance.  

Whether you are just considering holding a crafting class, or are a veteran workshop facilitator, there are so many options open to you. You could offer general classes open to any member of the public, you could do one-off events such as hen parties (pottery sessions are often popular) or you could tailor classes towards a specific group of people such as the over sixties, after school clubs or sessions for home-educated children. As long as your craft travels, you will need to find an appropriate venue. This could be within a local Craft Quarter or Centre, in a town or church hall or within a school.  

You might be able to get funding to take your craft into a local church or other centre which welcomes homeless men and women in to have a shower, collect post, enjoy a warm meal and seek advice.  Alongside this, a table which offers a space to paint or craft can be very therapeutic, increasing self-worth and maybe discovering hidden talents. It is also much easier to converse while focusing on creating something with your hands, and all around the table have a shared interest in the particular craft.  

You will need to do some local research, gauging your potential client group and then when you have a workshop organised, advertising both in local magazines/notice boards and online is foundational to your success. Once you’ve done some number crunching, it can often be better to start small, with a group size you feel comfortable with. You will also need to find some craft class insurance. While there are a plethora of companies offering craft class insurance, it is well worth making sure you understand what the package includes, as there will be variations. The good news is that here at Craft Insurance our basic insurance package will cover you for teaching, demonstrating and selling your craft within any setting. It includes public and product liability insurance and additionally contains professional indemnity insurance. As well as covering you for teaching and demonstrating, this also covers you if you unknowingly give any incorrect advice.  

Our prices may not be the lowest you can find online, but this is a conscious decision; we want to be sure that you get what you pay for with no surprise exclusions or confusing wording. We are a family business, with knowledge and experience passed down through generations. We answer each enquiry ourselves, so whether it be a phone call or an online request, either Sam or Naomi are here to reply. Craft class insurance is not an add on here with us; it is part of your basic package which also allows you to sell your stunning products online and at craft fairs.  

So, if you already have a basic insurance package with us, you will be covered for craft workshops too! Why not get dreaming; what are some ways you could pass on your skill, create community and add to your income? Ask a few questions, gather a few screen-weary, well-motivated students and have fun passing on your finely honed artisan skills in a refreshing atmosphere of welcome, eagerness and enthusiasm.