I’ve always been a maker, growing up in a home where we created things instead of buying them. My mum was an art teacher and a great cook, so making became second nature and this continued as I got older. As an adult I sought out creative workshops to escape from the emotional toll and burnout of teaching and later a rest from three children under five!

I  tried so many fabulous workshops and courses including silversmithing, stained glass, creating fimo beads, making cards and lots and lots of pottery.  I loved it all! Mostly what I loved though was that it really allowed me to escape: from the busyness of life and the busyness in my head and I just got to be ME while I was making. 
 

When we moved to Norfolk in 2018, I thought I'd be able to find all sorts of lovely making but I found it really difficult to find good creative workshops experiences.  I tried quite a few and some of them were good ( and dome of them were truly dreadful but let's not go there! ) Frustration drove me to invite new friends and neighbours over to make things together, starting with beeswax wraps. That first workshop was great fun and VERY messy as well as a wonderful learning experience:  note to self - absolutely do not invite 18 ladies to make beeswax wraps and let them all grate their own wax!  But I did do it again .... and again and offered a few different things because everyone was having so much fun!  I think it was the third or fourth workshop when one of my new friends said (over a long lazy workshop lunch with wine!) "you know Rachael, you should just stop thinking about finding a new job and do this!" 

And that, right there, was the spark that eventually became Reef Make & Do!
 

Five years later, I am so  proud of the growing community of wonderful artists, makers, and guests who come together to create, share, and learn. It’s been an unexpected and wonderful journey, and I’m excited to welcome more like-minded people to join us.

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I really hope you’ll be one of them.