THE BOILER HOUSE: Moss Side

THE BOILER HOUSE: Moss Side

growth and sustainability

by Norman Warwick

The Boiler House is a unique community hub in Greater Manchester, transforming lives through creativity, sustainability, and hands-on skill-building. Tucked away in Moss Side is The Boiler House: a place where creativity, sustainability, and community come together.

The Boiler House, a unique centre for making and mending, has become a vital part of the local landscape, offering more than just workshops and tools. It has transformed a derelict power station into an exciting hub for social change, skill development, and environmental action.

For Emily Corner, Operations Manager at The Boiler House, the project is more than a 9-5, it’s a huge passion.

“We aim to provide free and low-cost use of tools, equipment, and space for people and be a catalyst for people to reach their potential,” she said.

The Boiler House is special, offering a space where anyone can come together, regardless of their background, to learn, create, and build a stronger community. The Boiler House is an initiative run by Sow the City CIC, a Manchester-based social enterprise that signed a 12-year lease with One Manchester in 2019 to transform the disused power station.

“At the time, the building was underused and inaccessible to the public,” Emily explained.

“Over the past five years, we’ve reimagined this space, creating a community hub that offers workshops, equipment, and a platform for creative collaboration.”

Since its inception, The Boiler House has remained focused on making a tangible impact in the local community. The centre runs a variety of community workshops that not only teach practical skills but also improve health and wellbeing, contribute to the development of a circular economy, and promote gender and race equality.

“Our centre provides space for people of all ages and backgrounds to work together and participate in practical, hands-on ways to shape their lives and communities,” Emily added.

Whether it’s something as simple as making planters for growing vegetables at home or as complex as fabricating new products, The Boiler House believes that with the right encouragement and support, everyone can make and mend things.

The Boiler House is, at its core, a community-driven initiative.

Emily stresses that ‘over 40% of people that use the Boiler House are from Moss Side and Hulme´ and the centre tailors its offerings to meet the needs of this diverse community. From hands-on DIY courses to workshops on energy saving, the centre offers practical activities that empower residents to become more self-sufficient. The ‘Make and Mend’ and ‘Energy Group Sessions’ are perfect examples of this, teaching DIY skills that help people save money and foster independence.

One of the standout features of The Boiler House is the ‘Repair Café’, a regular fixture that has become popular with locals. The idea is simple but powerful: instead of throwing broken items away, people bring them to the Repair Café, where they can fix them with the help of skilled volunteers.

“It’s been really well received, especially after we were featured on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours,” says Emily.

The Repair Café not only helps people save money, but it also fosters a culture of reuse and recycling, contributing to the centre’s wider goals of sustainability. The Boiler House isn’t only about building physical skills; it’s about supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of the community. With a range of free and affordable courses, the centre plays an important role in combating social isolation and promoting personal growth.

As Emily explained, “We run programs that improve health and wellbeing by fostering creativity and connection.”

“Our Women’s Shed and DIY courses, for example, aim to empower women from diverse backgrounds through woodworking and DIY activities.”

These programs help to build confidence and a sense of belonging. By providing a safe and welcoming space for individuals to come together and engage in meaningful activities, The Boiler House helps improve mental health resilience and overall wellbeing. The centre’s recent Cost-of-Living programme, funded by the Council in 2023/24, brought in over 200 people from diverse backgrounds. This initiative included volunteering activities, courses on energy saving, woodwork, bike repairs, and the Repair Café. The program had a notable impact, with 54% of participants coming from non-white British backgrounds and nearly half of them living in Moss Side and Hulme. These numbers reflect the centre’s commitment to inclusion and its ability to engage with a wide range of community members.

One of the most exciting aspects of The Boiler House is its focus on sustainability and the circular economy. “Our programme of events encourages skills building to promote a circular economy,” Emily said.

This means that the centre’s activities are designed to minimise waste, reuse and recycle materials, and create products that can be easily repaired or repurposed. The Moss Side Repair Café is a prime example of this. The sessions, which have been running for four years, provide a space and tools for repairing broken items, extending their life, and reducing waste.This initiative links in with the international Repair Café movement, showing that even small, local actions can contribute to global sustainability efforts.

Another innovative project at The Boiler House is ‘Precious Plastic’, a small-scale plastic recycling initiative that turns waste plastic into beautiful new items for the home.This project is part of a wider international movement and is just one example of how the centre is promoting resource efficiency and environmental responsibility. The Boiler House also incorporates community growing into its activities, reflecting the mission of Sow the City to encourage self-sufficiency and reduce carbon footprints.

The centre’s Mushroom Lab and community garden space area are a couple of ways in which they are fostering local food production and teaching valuable skills in growing and sustainability.

One of the most impactful aspects of The Boiler House’s work is its commitment to skills development.

By offering hands-on workshops and training, the centre is equipping individuals with the practical abilities they need to improve their lives, find employment, and contribute to the local economy.

“Our woodworking and DIY courses, for example, help people learn how to repair and modify items, which promotes resource efficiency and reduces the need for new products,” Emily explained.

This emphasis on practical skills not only benefits the individual but also contributes to the community as a whole by creating a more self-sufficient, resilient population. The centre also provides free bike repairs in partnership with Manchester Cycling Academy, which helps residents save money on transportation costs and encourages cycling as a healthier, more sustainable option. Additionally, the popular ‘Volunteer Fridays’ have been a great success, with regular volunteers gaining valuable skills in gardening, mushroom growing, and plastic recycling.

The success of The Boiler House is measured not just in numbers, but in the positive impact it has on the lives of those who participate in its activities.

“We track participation, community engagement, skill development, wellbeing, social impact, economic benefits, and environmental impact,” Emily explained.

Feedback is gathered through annual surveys, regular community steering groups, and social media, ensuring that the community’s voice is always at the heart of the centre’s operations.

Looking to the future, The Boiler House has ambitious plans for growth.

“We’d like to continue to refurbish and expand the usable area of the building over the next few years,” Emily said.

This includes converting a large mezzanine area into more community workshop spaces and using old glass doors donated from the velodrome to insulate and glaze one side of the building.The centre also plans to collaborate further with local organisations and groups, inviting them to use the workshop spaces and develop new project ideas together.

In September, the centre will launch a Lottery-funded project offering even more free activities for local people, in addition to its usual offerings. These future developments ensure that The Boiler House will continue to play a vital role in the community, driving social change, supporting the local economy, and promoting a sustainable way of life.

If this is something you like the look of, or would like to get involved – The Boiler House are having an open day on Thursday 19th of  September from 2-4pm.

This is a great opportunity to learn about all of the exciting projects going on at The Boiler House. Whether you’re interested in developing new projects or signing up for their free courses, there will be something for everyone to get involved in. There will be taster session activities – have a go at growing mushrooms, or try some woodworking. It doesn’t matter if you have no experience, all skill levels are welcome. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

The Boiler House is much more than a centre for making and mending.

Through its dedication to inclusivity, sustainability, and skill-building, it is making a real difference in the lives of the people of Moss Side and Greater Manchester. The venue is the only Centre for making and mending in the region, The Boiler House has carved out a unique and invaluable space where creativity, community, and change come together.

As Emily said, “Boiler House is something special.”

And for the community it serves, it’s clear that this space is not just special—it’s essential.

Address & contact: 

9 Wilcock Street, Manchester M16 7DA, 0161 465 6954

This article was first published on 15 August 2024 and is subject to be updated from time to time. You can subscriber for free  e mail delivery of the I Love Manchester newsletter, which presents a comprehensive and eclectic view of the city. Just check out on line.