We're getting on with the job! Read about us in NEW START online magazine.
Message from John Clarke, Director PWks: "Thornbridge Steelmakers summer ale is back in the pubs . A percentage from each pint goes towards the restoration of Portland to reach our aim of full tenancy . So each pint helps save not only our building but our cities jobs and our crafts . Remember its 5% proof so drink responsibly as we want you with us to share our success"
Urgent work to the portico is now well under way:
From the
scaffolding
And there's an awful lot more to do - we need your support! We must now raise another £100,000 in shares and bonds from you the community. See the Bond page and the Share offer pages on this site. Why not join the 450 existing shareholders, or become a bondholder?
Work on the entrance archway has started, the toilets have been cleaned up (thank you Martin!) and the street doorway is being repainted (thanks Roger). We aim to raise further funds to move ahead with roof repairs and weatherproofing. Meanwhile we have appointed Colin Havard as manager who is looking after the tenants, and hope to be able to offer new space to tenants over the next few months.
Stonework
restored June 2013
Derek Morton
Chair of Directors
updated 10 June 2013
The Sheffield Star has now published "100 years of Stainless Steel" - launch article. WE feature in there - a chapter on Portland Works and why it was so important in 1913/14.
"Ade in Britain" 15 March - see on ITV Player (starts at 14 minutes)
Video interview for Sheffield Star newspaper highly recommended! Stuart, Julia and Derek 19 March
Sheffield Live radio - podcast- interview with Derek Morton 25 March
The Timewalk project (for facebook users)
See us in Sheffield Telegraph 7 March 2013, (very good article) also Yorkshire Post (rather innacurate!) and we caught Radio Sheffield and Look North's eye!
Guardian Northerner blog 8 March 2013 and Northerner blog 24 Feb 2013!
BBC Breakfast Show 7 January 2013 - this is part of a piece on national news about stainless steel
26March Look North
Missed us on Heritage Heroes? - An excerpt is still on iPlayer
The Look North / Calendar spots in February produced a lot of interest - which helped the share issue to top £200,000 shortly afterwards.
Sheffields very own 'NowThen' magazine had a double page spread in issue 49
Sheffield Telegraph
'Victory' story 1 April Yorks Post
27 March, Sheffield Star 26 March
Sheff Telegraph 2
Feb, Yorkshire
Post 3 Feb
Sheffield Star 3 Feb and Yorkshire
Times 4 Feb and Look
North + Calendar on 6 Feb and
Heritage Heroes on BBC2
clip on iPlayer and
Sheffield Star
Sheffield Star 24 Oct 2011 Sheffield Telegraph letters - 17 Nov 2011
Yorks Post 21 September 2011
Sheffield Telegraph
4 August 2011 and
17 March 2011
BBC Radio Sheffield Interview with Stuart Mitchell and Derek Morton - click to download the podcast - see their website BBC Radio Sheffield
Newspaper articles... a selection of the best...
Sheffield Star 21 June 2011
Yorkshire Post 16 June 2011
Previous articles in the Yorkshire Post - full page story Feb 2010 and Feb 2009
Sheffield Telegraph 17 March 2011 and an excellent article from early days, 28 Jan 2010
and finally... BBC
WEBSITE UPDATED 26 March 2012
BBC website Portland works in pictures, April 2010
Welcome to Portland Works, now the world's only community owned cutlery works! This is the culmination of almost four years hard work by volunteers to secure the future of this fine industrial building with a unique history. Not to mention securing the futures of the 23 current tenants who represent a huge range of skill, expertise and heritage. For more see the About us and Gallery pages. If you want to know more or would like to help us, email on info@portlandworks.co.uk
There's a really nice appreciation of the Works on Linda Panetta's personal blog, worth a look
Later this year we will launch a second share issue, and a Community Bond offer. We aim to raise £100,000 to begin the restoration. Details will be posted soon - watch this space!
We have achieved our first target - we own the Works.
We now have well almost 500 shareholders, who raised over £250,000 in cash. Many have put in £100 but the average is, amazingly, £500. We are very grateful to all those who've had faith in the project and lent their support in so many ways.
You can become a shareholder. The Share Offer page tells you how and you can find out more on About Us and Our Vision for the Works. Or read our latest Newsletter
Find out more by emailing info@portlandworks.co.uk.
We are a Community Benefit Society, run entirely by volunteers. If you'd like to help us, get in touch. Meanwhile Community Shares are becoming mainstream - remember you were in the vanguard! - see the news at the newly formed (government funded) Community Shares Unit
Thank you and please keep supporting us!
Derek Morton
Chair, Portland Works LS Ltd, a Community Benefit Society registered with the FSA
updated 7 March 2013
We were privileged to host Griff Rhys Jones in November on his tour of South Yorkshire. Griff met tenants and campaigners and tried forging on Andy Cole's spring hammer. Civic Voice, who hosted the tour along with Sheffield's Civic Trust, are highlighting the great work being done by groups to preserve our heritage and civic amenities.
Griff's message is
"Change is in the air, as local communities take more control over their own future. The civic movement is at the heart of this with hundreds of local civic societies speaking up for their area. We want to play a revitalised role in promoting civic pride and making the places where everyone lives more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive"
We couldn't agree more!
Quicksand Films have made 'This is Portland Works' about the Works and tenants
by Matt Risby and Elliot Parker
the link takes you to the Vimeo website to view the film
Stephen Cater, of the University of Sheffield, shared the following glowing endorsement of Portland Works with us:
"At a time when Yorkshire Forward and Sheffield City Council are justifiably proud of the efforts they have made to establish a high technology metalworking cluster on the Advanced Manufacturing Park [AMP] at Orgreave, I am dismayed to find that they may be willing to extinguish an existing, and equally important centre of excellence in metalworking at Portland Works.
I am currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Sheffield, studying the historical role of steel and developing new techniques for processing it. Nowhere else, not even at the university or the AMP, can I find the necessary skills required to help me in my work. I can only find them at Portland Works. I can take metal ingots there, have them indelibly engraved with reference numbers, have the same ingots worked down to strips, and then have those strips made into tools and cutting edges all under the same roof.
I am not the first to use their services: almost a hundred years ago Harry Brearley took his first stainless steel ingots there to have test cutlery manufactured. Does Sheffield really want to throw away such a heritage?"
Stephen Cater, University of Sheffield, Department of Materials Science and Engineering