Restoration Station

Set up by the Spitalfields Crypt Trust, Restoration Station is a non-profit social initiative that uses design and making as a tool to help people recover from addiction and re-engage with the world of creative work. Participants in the programme are trained in woodworking and the restoration of vintage furniture – much of it donated – at the enterprise’s studio at the New Hanbury Project, where they also receive specialist instruction from local craftspeople. Every Thursday and Friday, Restoration Station’s workshop on Shoreditch High Street opens to sell beautifully restored 20th-century pieces – including antique furniture, tools, ceramics and toys. The workshop is also available for commission – Restoration Station’s work can already be found in cafés, restaurants and shops throughout the local area.