A NEW community workspace has opened in Tonedale, offering a place for meetings and gatherings, workshops, classes, talks and community events.

The Local Folk was set up by a group of local small business owners, parents, educators and makers ‘who are motivated and passionate about building a supportive and resilient community’.

Nadine Provenzano, one of the founders, says the space, in the Bell Tower at Tonedale Mill, is to be used for talks, community events and education.

It is home to Betonica, a medical herbalist training programme, features weekly yoga classes and will host a monthly nature-based workshop for children called Botanical Kids.

Annual seed swap days will be held in February, April, May and October, plant swap days will be held in April, May, June and September, and food swap days will be held bi-monthly starting in April.

It will be also be running regular maker market days and an annual garage sale trail, and will curate an ever changing series of workshops and classes, on subjects including fermentation, natural dyes, watercolour painting and resin work.

For more information, see thelocalfolk.co.uk