Solid Wood: A New Furniture Renovation Project for Psychiatric Patients in the Community

Abstract

This article is about a community work project for psychiatric patients run largely by volunteers. It is hoped that it will encourage staff working in the community by demonstrating that work projects can be started by therapists or other workers who are not in senior management positions; and that through cooperation and planning, these projects can exist with the minimum of NHS funding alongside other rehabilitation schemes. The article describes how the project ‘Solid Wood’ began and the successes and difficulties that it encountered. It describes the basic ingredients of this work project as well as showing that dedication and enthusiasm for an idea are as important as planning and budgeting.