These wonderful items made by a small enterprise set up by the COASTAL project with a number of very talented people who have either learning difficulties, mental or physical issues.

The COASTAL Project part of Neath Port Talbot Local Council and is part funded by the European Social Fund.

The project is a regional strategic project covering 6 South Wales local authority areas. The project aims to promote vocational employment, skills, training and lifelong learning opportunities for individual who are currently inactive as a result of illness or disability, (mental illness, learning disability, physical disability or sensory impairment).

The project aims to increase self confidence and self belief of its participants improve skills including communication, dexterity and problem solving. Helping them to gain relevant and positive work experience which makes them more employable for the future.

We have recently completed these pieces of furniture art made from recycled bicycle parts. The photographs do not do the items justice and they are more comfortable than you would imagine. These are very usable items as well as a piece of art.

This particular project came about as one of our other projects, a bike refurbish and reuse scheme receives a high number of donated old bicycles to refurbish. However many of these are in too poor a condition to reuse so one of our team suggested making something from their parts. After many months of experiments we have finely tuned our designs to what you see today.

We came across Milliput as we were looking for a product with good bonding properties to eliminate or restrict the need for welding, safe and easy to use for our team and a fast curing time, as many other products take days to be effective. They are currently designing other pieces of practical art and Milliput has the versatility our designers and development team need. Invaluable !

The team involved are very proud of their work and the privileged few who have seen it to date, have changed their opinions about people with issues such as theirs.

"Who are we to Judge !"

For updates on the project please contact c.battison@npt.gov.uk

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