Wavin’s donation inspires BSDC students for Derbyshire Makes Festival

Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) has partnered with Wavin UK to support Derbyshire Makes, a three-year cultural programme celebrating making, manufacturing and craftsmanship across the county.
As part of the initiative, Wavin generously donated locally sourced clay, which has been used by BSDC’s creative learners to produce hand-built and sculpted clay heads inspired by Swadlincote’s industrial and cultural history. Their completed pieces will be exhibited at Sharpe’s Pottery Museum as part of the Derbyshire Makes festival, showcasing their creativity and connection to local materials.
The partnership between BSDC and Wavin highlights the importance of industry working with education to provide real-world creative opportunities. By working with clay sourced just five miles from Swadlincote, learners have been able to engage with local heritage in a hands-on and meaningful way.
The Derbyshire Makes festival, taking place on Saturday 26 April and Sunday 27 April, will feature free workshops, live demonstrations and exhibitions, celebrating the region’s artistic and industrial heritage. The event will offer the public the opportunity to explore a variety of creative disciplines, from pottery and woodturning to letterpress printing.
A number of other departments and courses at BSDC are also playing a key role in Derbyshire Makes, with students from Performing Arts, Digital Art and Design, Creative Art and Design, and other disciplines developing projects that reflect the festival’s themes. Each course is creating work that celebrates the region’s rich heritage while showcasing the creativity and skills of the students.
Bill Moorley, Course Leader at BSDC said: “This project is rooted in the ethos of celebrating Swadlincote’s motto, ‘The Earth Our Wealth,’ and the vibrant community of South Derbyshire. The inclusion of locally sourced clay, generously donated by Wavin UK, has made this experience even more meaningful for the learners. This has allowed them to connect with the community and its rich industrial history in a tangible way, truly bringing the project to life. The learners have been fully immersed in the creative process and eagerly anticipate the opportunity to showcase their work at the Derbyshire Makes Festival at the end of April.”
Emma Leithhead-Greer 3D and Mixed Media student at BSDC added: “It’s been really interesting learning about Swadlincote’s history. I discovered that the retail park was once a major coal mining site and that Florence Nightingale grew up in South Derbyshire. Taking part in Derbyshire Makes has been a great opportunity; not everyone gets to be involved in something like this.