WBC is a leading UK wholesale packaging company – it is based in Brixton and still manufactures in Brixton, too. Despite its national reach, WBC is keen to support local makers and businesses, and sponsored our recent Making Uncovered festival.

We caught up with James Howard, the WBC Marketing Director, to learn the WBC story and how it can help local makers and independent businesses.

Tell us about WBC – how did it start, what are your products and what customers do you serve?

Born the year Nintendo released the Gameboy and Lisa Stansfield went all around theworld – for more than two decades now we’ve flown the flag for independent retail. Big or small, we design and manufacture quality packaging and retail display solutions. Our products help independent retailers turn their products into profitable gifts and play the chains at their own game by creating that special point of difference.

Despite initial rebuffs by banks and financial services, it was a small £5,000 loan from the Prince’s Trust that allowed WBC’s managing directors Andrew Wilson and business partner Tim Wilkinson to buy a delivery van. This was the start of one of the UKs’ best known B2B packaging brands.

We supply over 850 lines of hamper and gift packaging, wine packaging and accessories, retail display, and bags for life right out of our warehouse just off Acre Lane. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker isn’t so far from the truth when it comes to our client base. We supply everyone from artisan food outlets and producers, local cafes, street markets, wine merchants and breweries, colleges, garden centres, farm shops, food and drink associations, museums, charities – and even stately homes including the Queen.

Our Kingsley range of retail display and merchandising are UK made, right here in Brixton. In fact the shelves are made from wooden reclaimed floorboards sourced in Brixton. What we love about them is that they are beautifully made signature pieces that really showcase product for market traders and retailers – pieces you’d never find in a supermarket!

Read Why WBC will never supply ‘bags for life’ to the major supermarkets

How can you help makers and small businesses locally?

Competition on the high street is tough, economically and financially it’s tough for small business. There are so many passionate artisan producers and innovative business ideas in Brixton and yet it seems that the big dogs always get the greatest share of the prize. We work with delis everyday who just get up and running only to find a Sainsbury’s local decides to move in next door and starts selling basics like milk and eggs at cut-prices they could never hope to offer.

We’ve learned the peculiar issues that small businesses are faced with. Price, Time, Space, Quality. So our model entirely reflects this:

• We create quality solutions that help local retailers stand head and shoulders above the crowd and turn a profit.
• We support retailers with training – how to maximise sales opportunities and merchandising solutions
• Our customers have access to the UK’s largest range of stock packaging, all at trade prices so that they are affordable, with price points to suit every budget.
• We’re online 24 hours a day
• We deliver product in small volumes on a next day service so customers never need to overstock – many of our customers have space issues so we hold the stock so they don’t have to.
• Bespoke and printing services allow local businesses to create a brand for their packaging

Why did you choose Brixton as your location and what do you like about the area?

Brixton has been the headquarters for WBC for well over a decade now, and we’re pleased to supply many of its small businesses. There is a fantastically close-knit community of like-minded people here. London can be a very transitory place to live, whereas Brixton has always had a grassroots feel about it that works well with our little WBC family.

In recent years we’ve become much more involved with local initiatives like Brixton Market, Makerhood, local police charities, pop-up shops and others. In Brixton there’s a togetherness and willingness to knuckle down and all pitch in.

When the London riots took place in 2011, we made a cotton bag with ‘Make Tea Not War’ on it, which local businesses could sell with a portion of the profits going to youth charities. With the ties that David Bowie has with Brixton, it was fitting that the official Bowie tote bag made for the V&A exhibition and which sold out in 3 days, was produced by a company based in here in Brixton.

We love the vibrancy and now with new technologies and social media, the community in Brixton has become a much closer place, bringing us together with people and businesses we would never have met.

Check out the WBC catalogue on their website: http://www.wbc.co.uk/. Or read their blog with interesting recent stories: http://blog.wbc.co.uk/

Diverse Gifts and Gallery is a gift shop based in the heart of Brixton – at 65 Atlantic road – run by Anita Thorpe. 

This week Diverse is running a showcase of 12 Brixton called ‘Makers in The Hood’. Locally made prints, greeting cards, beauty and  hair products, accessories, textile artists and much more is on offer. The event ends on 28 April – be sure to check it out. 

Diverse also co-sponsored Making Uncovered on 20 April. We caught up with Anita to hear her story and why she supports Makerhood. 

How did Diverse come to life – and what do you love about selling gifts?

I started Diverse in the mid 1990s with a jewellery stall in Brixton Station Road.

I had the idea because back then Brixton was great for lots of things but good silver jewellery wasn’t one of them – and I am a real jewellery fan. I felt sure other people felt as frustrated as I did about what was on offer locally, so I decided to try and fill the gap. I knew nothing about retail and so had none of the constraints that a better knowledge of retail might have placed on me – I just did it. The stall was hugely successful and what started as a weekend hobby became a full-time business. I started adding some handmade gift products from Africa, and in 1999 we moved into our first shop on Atlantic Road.

What’s your mission – and how do you choose what to stock?

The mission is to bring well designed, affordable, uncommon gifts to Brixton. Over the last few years we’ve returned to our ‘handmade’ roots as the interest in craft has grown.

I like to think we are helping customers by providing a convenient alternative to the West End but we are also helping people appreciate and connect with local making talent.

Diverse stocks a wide range of work – art, jewellery, accessories, natural body products – even locally blended teas!

We select stock by attending craft fairs and trade shows, and we have held open calls for shop events like the ‘Makers in the Hood’ showcase, which we started recently.

What are your future plans for Diverse?

I’d like to keep expanding our handmade offer. There is a real interest in products with a provenance; where people can see design that’s original, learn about who made it and how it’s made, and appreciate the work that’s gone into making something. That local connection has become increasingly important to customers.

Also, for me as a retail buyer, it makes my job more interesting. It means I’m always coming across fresh new ideas and I can commission exclusive products for the shop, so I always have something different for our customers to see. It feels good to know I am helping other local enterprises to grow as well.

Why did you support Making Uncovered? 

We have worked successfully with Makerhood members in the past and it was a chance to show our support for local makers. We are also holding our Spring Makers in the Hood event at the same time as Making Uncovered, so I hope people will come to see the work of other Makerhood members at Diverse. ‘Makers in the Hood’ ends on 28 April – hope to see you there!

We’ve got some wonderful line-up additions to Making Uncovered on Saturday.

Our friends at The Thought Menu have brought together what promises to be a really interesting session exploring the intersection of technology, art, making and DIY. Talks will cover subjects from pinhole camera kits to Arduinos and DIY drones to large scale kinetic sculptures and the intriguing concept of “unmaking”. Have a look at the programme here.

The Thought Menu is at 6-7pm on the first floor of the Brixton East gallery.

We also have the incredible Bethia Beadman joining us for an acoustic session in the evening. Bethia’s music combines the intensity of PJ Harvey with the Lynchian glamour of Lana Del Ray and the doomed romanticism of Nick Cave. She has played festivals from Glastonbury to the Isle of Wight, supported Pete Doherty and toured in Courtney Love’s band. Have a listen here.

Also in the music section are A P Clarke and Gaia Marcus. A P Clarke is a long established musician on the London scene, playing an intense yet beautiful take on folk. Gaia, meanwhile, has been perfecting her rich style in the jazz and blues venues of the city. Together they will perform a playful mix of duets drawn from their wide set of influences.

We will also have the previously announced dance improvisation set from Seke Chimutengwende, South London’s pop-up choir and Librarians Wanted performing.

Music starts straight after the talks, at 7pm, also on the first floor of the venue.

We’ve also released some more tickets – in the expectation that some of those who’d booked won’t show up. Snap them up

See you Saturday!

 Aneta Srodon of Anetart  has a passion for aboriginal painting, abstract art and photography.

At Making Uncovered Aneta will run a workshop in acrylic painting on canvas aimed at unlocking individual creativity.  The workshop is suitable for adults and accompanied children, and costs £15 – 4 spaces are available. Book here.

Tell us about your style of painting

I practise dot painting derived from the culture of Australian Aborigines. I love this technique because in addition to the artistic and creative side, it helps people find relaxation by focusing on an activity carried out carefully.

What will happen at your workshop?

My workshop at Making Uncovered on 20 April is called “Aboriginal inspirations’”. It will encourage people to explore their creativity through dot painting. This original but simple technique gives remarkable decorative effects. No special artistic talens are required. It all depends on your imagination and improvisation. The participants will use the techniques I show them to create their own compositions.

I will provide all the materials, and everyone taking part will take their canvas home with them.

Andry Anastasiou is an experienced local coach and workshop facilitator. One of her methods is to use ‘mind-mapping’ to explore and develop individual creativity.

At Making Uncovered Andry will be creating a giant community mind map, where visitors will be able to write a few words about their experience of the event and what they took from it. She will also be running workshops creating individual mind maps with participants.

What are mind maps and how do they work?

Mind-maps use colour, words, images and visual branches. By mirroring the natural way our brain works, by making connections between lots of different ideas, they are really great way to get you thinking creatively; apparently They can also stimulate you to remember more things in more detail, so they are a fantastic learning tool.

 

 How did you discover this technique and how do you use it?

I discovered visual mapping about 15 years ago. I loved the way I could take a really complicated topic and map it out using words and images. It made things simpler and more understandable. And as I could include my own images and lots of colours I loved the creativity. I found so many benefits from visual mapping, using wheels of life, timeliness and mind maps. After visual mapping, I feel more skilled and resourceful; I can easily plan a course or project and I identify priorities with ease.

I use timelines, wheels of life and mind maps nearly everyday. I take my box of colours and a sheet of paper and I pick a topic to map a timeline or wheel. It could be planning my gardening cycle or organising an event or budgeting.  I’ve discovered that I can map visually and I am creative even though I can’t draw well!

Why are you taking part in Making Uncovered?

I’m taking part in the event because I want to let more people locally know about my workshops my coaching and the creative use of visual mapping. I really wanted to be more involved in local community work and local community events.

What will you be teaching?

In the workshop, people will learn about the benefits of visual mapping, and they’ll create their own large creative visual image;   either a mind map, timeline or wheel of life. We will use colour spontaneous imagery and  discussion to help  each person create meaningful images.

I hope that people will begin to see that mind mapping timelines and wheel of life can be done by anybody, with 20 minutes to spare and the topic they want to uncover,  focus on or  unravel.

Maggie Winnall is a textile artist from Brixton London UK.
 She transform everyday materials into colourful, original, stylish accessories and art, hand-making everything herself.

At Making Uncovered Maggie will show her techniques  and run a workshop applying her unique, empowering approach to personal transformation through textile art – affirmative appliqué.

What does your craft mean to you?

My aim is to create beauty and renew the life of pre-loved cloth, vintage fabrics, found materials and embellishments. I do this by mixing colour and shapes into abstract patterns and manipulating textures.

My journal writing inspires my ‘Affirmative Art’ range. I coined this and the phrase 
‘Hope in Your Handbag’ to represent my work with affirmations, which I apply to my handbags and art work, to serve as reminders of the good things in life and the hopes we carry with us.
 I hope you enjoy my work.

Why are you taking part in Making Uncovered?

I am excited to be joining with other Brixtonian artists and makers, to share our range of talents and skills with the public. The event will give people the opportunity to see the wealth of talent here in Brixton and to see first hand (excuse the pun) what is involved in making by hand. I look forward to demonstrating my handbag making process, I will be machine quilting and hand sewing on the day. Hopefully it will inspire others to try textile art for themselves.

What will you be teaching people in your workshop and why should they sign up? 

Hope in Your Handbag™ is a hand sewing workshop to make an oyster/card wallet. I like to make affirmations in fabric, affirmations help me focus on my aims and intentions for my day/life. I apply affirmations to oyster card wallets and handbags, seeing them reminds me of my intentions. This is what I will be sharing at the workshop. We will learn appliqué, how to use bondaweb, hand cutting cloth letters, hand stitching and learning a decorative embroidery stitch.

There will be lovely selection of coloured embroidery threads and vintage fabrics to choose from. Taking the time to make a fabric affirmation helps to remember it.

Maggie’s workshop is at 3pm on 20 April, and costs £11. All materials are provided, and you will take your wallet home with you. Please book on eventbrite – 4 spaces available.

A fellow Brixtonian Tom Lynch is one of the people behind the exciting  Elephant and Castle Mini Maker Faire planned for 6 July this year. The original Maker Faire was held in San Mateo, California eight years ago. Its show last year had 800 makers and over 100,000 people attending. So it’s quite a scale!

A Maker Faire is a day of making, learning, crafting that is family friendly and welcomes all kinds of makers, both craft and technology-based – and those in between! It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning. It’s free for people to attend.

The call for makers is open until 21 April, so get your applications in!

Find out more about the Faire on their website: http://makerfaireelephantandcastle.com/about/