A modern sewing workshop room, mannequins, a range of threads and equipment for printing on T-shirts - this is the shortest description of the new sewing workshop ("sewroom") at the Obrońców Westerplatte Primary School No. 72 in Stogi, which was opened with the support of the Baltic Hub.

The workshop is one of seven successful projects implemented as part of the 'Busole 2021' grant competition organised by the Baltic Hub. The grant covered the funding of the school's tailoring workshop, adapted to the students’ needs.

- The idea for the workshop was born a few years ago when we invited a company to our school to conduct a sewing machine workshop. After it, we decided that we could organise something like this ourselves. When the DCT Gdansk (now the Baltic Hub) announced the 'Busole 2021' grant competition, aimed at, among others, the Stogi district, together with a teacher from the school, Patrycja Godz, we wrote a project and joined the competition. And we ended up as one of the seven beneficiaries of the competition," says Artur Jastrząb, headmaster of Primary School No. 72.

The room, where only sewing classes are held, is equipped with machines, lights, a set of needles and mannequins on which clothes can be measured. In addition, the 'sewroom' also includes equipment for creating prints or trimming fabric.

- Workshops can take place right away at the prepared workstations and much more time can now be devoted to making models, cutting out fabrics and sewing. Previously, sewing lessons were held in a regular classroom, and each time we had to carry the equipment in and out," says Bernadeta Skwierawska, an art and primary teacher who runs the classes, which take place in the afternoons in two groups - beginners and advanced.

Interest in the new workshop is very high. The list of applicants is already full, and there are both girls and boys among the young students. Beginners start with simple stitches, and end with making a needlepoint. The advanced ones will be able to make a shoe bag themselves at the end of the course. The school's headmaster and the class leader expressed the hope that the 'sewroom' will soon be able to make T-shirts with the school logo and other commemorative gadgets.

As headmaster Artur Jastrząb adds, there is another aspect to sewing today - a pro-environmental one. There is a lot of talk today about mending rather than throwing away slightly torn, second-hand clothes, which fits in with the less waste philosophy. Some students are looking further into the future by thinking about careers as fashion designers.

The atelier can be used not only by students, but also by their families.

- I am delighted that we have been able to help create a seemingly modest but much-needed space that helps foster creativity among students. This is very important nowadays, when children are often almost "glued" to their mobile phones or computers, and do not have manual skills and therefore do not develop their creativity. Our mission is to support local initiatives that serve local communities. This is one of them. We are constantly listening to the needs of our neighbours, emphasises Magdalena Jagła, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Baltic Hub.