ABOUT US
We are a passionate team committed to delivering an inclusive and empowering building space to those historically excluded from it. With lived experiences of misogyny in building environments, we bring insight and empathy from our own encounters to the project. We recognise women and gender marginalised people face many different forms of discrimination and aspire to promote intersectionality in our goal. We are made up of a core team, and a wide (and beautifully evolving) group of volunteers and community members who are helping us guide the project. Read about our aims and values here.
The Core Team
Georjie Adams
Director, facilitator, project manager,
Georjie founded In Our Hands after witnessing and experiencing the need for safe and empowering spaces for women and gender diverse people to learn everyday DIY and building skills. Georjie facilitates and teaches woodwork at our workshop space, and co-runs the project development.
Ali Peel
Director, facilitator, spreadsheet wizzard
Ali helps facilitate our community building days, manages our finances and oversees our green wellbeing space at our workshop. Outside of IOH she is an experienced market gardener and produces all the veg for our community lunches!
Elbie Owens
Director, Facilitator, green wood-worker
Elbie is a transmasc queer craftsperson and horticulturist working throughout Sussex. They joined the team as our spoon carving tutor and share the joy of heritage craft and greenwood carving. Elbie is passionate about spoon carving and the empowerment it brings, and they are amazing at guiding people through the day with thoughtful, considerate and relaxed facilitation.
Flic!!!
Workshop assistant and material production
Flic joined our team early 2023 and has been a crucial part of our project ever since. As well as putting her growing woodwork skills to use all over the workshop, she processes and prepares all the timber for our workshops - whatever needs to be done, Flic does it with unrivalled energy, hardwork and commitment to IOH!
Nat Staples & Rae Woods
Facilitators and visiting tutors!
Nat teaches our DIY workshop on putting up shelves and using electric drills. She is also a full-time tradesperson working in and around Brighton with her own business, NTS Property Maintenance! Rae is a non-binary woodworker specialising in small mobile dwellings. They teach our joinery course! Having trained in furniture making and timber framing, they are comitted to making these skills more accessible through facilitating community builds and tailored learning environments.
Laura Morgan
Director and amazing build volunteer!
Laura came to our project as a beam of enthusiasm, helping champion us through the difficult stages of finding funding and growing as a project. She has so much passion for IOH and joined us as a director to help steer our direction! Outside of IOH Laura is a fantastic visual and multi-disciplinary artist!
Community And Volunteers
In Our Hands is a community driven project, with volunteers and participants having a clear voice in how we shape the project. We have now made this process formal and hold group participatory meetings to consult our community on our aims, outcomes and processes. We have a range of options for involvement, and different sections of the workload to be engaged with depending on the individuals interests. See here for more information on our community and volunteer roles.
meetings and governance
Where to find us
Our workshop is located just outside Steyning, West Sussex at Buncton Manor Farm. There are transport links from Brighton, Shoreham, Worthing and Horsham, and we’re 1-2 hours drive from London.