We have been delighted to participate in this year’s Alton Arts Festival, a 10-day, multi-venue, multi-disciplinary arts festival in Alton. As a not-for-profit enterprise, the aim has been to celebrate the arts, community, and creativity which has provided our students with some fabulous opportunities and new experiences. Our thanks to all of the organising committee for a fabulous festival! 

As part of the festival a group of Year 8 students were invited to participate in a series of silversmithing workshops run by Meon Valley Studios. The sessions had been arranged in conjunction with the Alton Arts Festival and the workshops had been funded by 'The Goldsmiths Centre’ which included the cost of silver, so that there was no cost for our students to participate.

During the workshops, the students learnt how to make and personalise a silver ring. This included punching a name into it, bending the silver using a ring mandrel and mallet and then sawing the ends off using a piercing saw to cut the shape. They then used a small blow torch to solder the ring closed before filing and polishing the silver.

All the students had an amazing time and were so grateful to have been given this opportunity. Their completed pieces looked incredible and were so professional. A huge thank you goes to Olivia at Meon Valley Studios for arranging these sessions.