Our beginnings

Boomerang began as a pilot mental health project in Gartnavel Royal Hospital in 2001, a volunteer-run project committed to recycling waste timber into furniture and promoting well-being and mental health recovery. Using woodwork as a tool to combat social isolation and distraction by encouraging creativity and skills development.

Our values

  • Learning

    Woodwork is a great way to be creative and learn practical, transferrable skills with like-minded folk. Our activities provide skills, creativity and fun bringing together different people to discover the joys of working sustainably with wood. There’s always something new to learn!

  • Sustainability

    We work with discarded timber and furniture going to landfill, transforming them into new items. By encouraging people to make, mend and reuse instead of buying new we are helping to reduce waste and inspire more thoughtful ways of living and creating.

  • Collaboration

    We partner with local charities to make wooden items using recycled timber that benefit the wider community and provide skills and opportunities to participants. We provide referral pathways and bespoke workshops so more people can take part.

Boomerang today

Today, we’re proud to be a community-focused project, helping people combat social isolation, spark creativity, and gain confidence through woodwork and DIY. We work with local charities and non-profits to create affordable wooden items while sharing tips and skills for sustainable woodworking.

Our makers and woodworkers bring people together through workshops, activities, and clubs, turning “waste” into wonderful creations and helping build a more sustainable, skillful, and connected Glasgow.

Sustainability

At Boomerang, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We rescue wood that would otherwise go to waste and give it a new life, turning offcuts, old furniture and discarded timber into something useful and meaningful.

By encouraging people to make, mend and reuse instead of buying new, we are helping to reduce waste, support a circular economy and inspire more thoughtful ways of living and creating. We turn our reclaimed timber into furniture, planters, bread boards, earrings, keyrings, spoons, spurtles…and a few other things!

You support our mission by donating quality timber to our workshop. If you have wood that deserves a second life, we’d love to hear from you.

Wood Donations

5 ways we nurture wellbeing

At Boomerang, we use woodwork as a way to support wellbeing and bring people together. Our workshops follow the 5 Ways to Wellbeing, giving people the chance to connect with others, learn new skills and see the tangible results of what they create, all while helping the planet by reusing and recycling wood.

  • We are a shared, open space with one BIG workbench. Learning and sharing with others is a great way to build connections with people in your community, feel valued and a part of something.

  • Learning and developing new skills can boost your self-esteem and confidence and challenging yourself can be a rewarding experience. Why not make something useful whilst you’re at it and learn practical skills for life!

  • Being active is a great way to maintain positive mental health. It doesn’t have to be the gym - woodwork is physical too (and a whole lot more fun!)

  • Share your knowledge, time or energy with others and join like-minded people using their practical skills to improve the community around them.

  • Woodwork can help you concentrate on what’s in front of you and be in the present moment. A welcome focus away from any noise and stresses in your daily life.