Residents turned artisans as they tried their hands at blacksmithing at a free event in Leyton.

Capel Manor College, a specialist education provider in horticulture, animals, and the environment, hosted the lessons at its Brooks Farm Campus in Tilbury Road.

Ironwork specialists from the Urban Crafts Foundation (UCF) – which offers blacksmithing lessons for children and adults from challenging backgrounds – set up a mobile forge for residents and students to learn iron forgery.

Over four days in September UCF welcomed over 260 people to the classes; coppersmithing, which does not involve heat, was on offer for younger children.

All of the items crafted will be incorporated into an arch at Capel Manor College’s Brooks Farm Campus.

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Residents and students quickly got to grips with ironwork

Lizzie Hughes, a UCF artist, said: “This was a real community event and it was great to see young people and the older generation all working together.

“We hope that in a couple of months when the arch is installed everyone who helped to make it will come and see it and have a sense of ownership.”

The community event was designed to boost UCF’s funding bid for a Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture Award.

Collette Delle Grazie, marketing and communications officer at Capel Manor College, added: “The UCF’s ethos and passion for teaching practical and traditional skills aligns perfectly with the college’s hands-on and creative outdoor learning experience.”