Sammy’s Foundation will return to update Festival visitors on the inspiring progress of its work.

The charity provides high-quality training in skilled heritage crafts for driven young adults with complex neurological conditions. Its aim is to create meaningful routes into employment while helping to safeguard specialist crafts that are at risk of being lost. These include traditional upholstery, passementerie, canework, French polishing, wood carving, wood turning and French wool mattress making.

During its inaugural year, the Foundation established partnerships with special schools, engaged young people through pilot programmes and developed links with experienced master craftspeople. Its early participants reported increased confidence as they experienced the purpose and satisfaction that can come from mastering precise, practical skills.

Visit the stand to hear what the young craftspeople have achieved, discover the Foundation’s plans for the future and learn how the interiors and heritage-craft sectors can help create genuine opportunities for neurodivergent young people.