This summer marks a huge milestone for me and Hampshire School of Jewellery – we’re celebrating our 10th birthday!
If you’d told me ten years ago that the little jewellery school I started around my dining room table would one day have taught over 2,000 people, have its own studio and such an incredible community of students, I don’t think I’d have believed you.
How I started teaching and began the jewellery school
I actually started teaching jewellery making six years before opening the jewellery school at our local college while gaining my teaching qualifications. 2026 actually marks 16 years since I first began sharing my passion for jewellery making with others.
When the college closed its adult education department in the Spring of 2016, it happened at the same time as I started a new full-time job that I quickly realised wasn’t right for me. With the support of my husband, I handed in my notice after just a few weeks and decided to take a leap of faith and start my own business.
As you can imagine, handing in my notice and leaving a secure job was terrifying and felt like a huge risk. While setting up the jewellery school, I took on part-time work, helping my sister in her office with HR and accounts, as well as joining my husband on a building site. I even got to drive a JCB one day; my husband still hasn’t forgiven me because he wasn’t working that day to see it or have a go himself!
Hampshire School of Jewellery began around my dining room table with just one student learning how to use Silver Art Clay. Jane had stayed in touch after attending my college classes and wanted to continue learning. Ten years later she is still a regular in my Monday evening class, and that means the world to me.
Jane kindly shared what being part of Hampshire School of Jewellery has meant to her:
“I have been studying with Laura at Hampshire School of Jewellery for 10 years. She is the most patient and knowledgeable tutor which is just what you want when you are learning a new skill such as jewellery making. I have loved my journey particularly the friends I have made but more importantly all the beautiful pieces of jewellery I have created for myself; especially the sparkly ones!”
Building Hampshire School of Jewellery
In 2019, I moved into our current studio in Basingstoke. Having a permanent, dedicated teaching space has allowed the jewellery school to flourish, and today I welcome up to 60 people every week through a mixture of one off beginner workshops and longer term time courses.
One of the proudest moments over the last decade was receiving Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday Award. An even more memorable day came in June 2024 when Theo visited my studio, alongside Sir Keir Starmer, and I had the surreal experience of teaching them both how to make a silver bangle. It is certainly a day I will never forget.
Like so many small businesses, the Covid lockdowns brought enormous challenges. Closing the studio was incredibly difficult, but I will always be grateful to my wonderful students. As soon as restrictions allowed, they returned, adapted to smaller class sizes and social distancing, and helped ensure the school continued through a very uncertain time.
More than just making jewellery
Over the last 10 years I have had the privilege of teaching more than 2,000 people. Some arrive feeling nervous because they have never picked up a jewellery-making tool before, while others go on to develop advanced skills and create beautiful pieces they never thought possible.
One of the things I am proudest of isn’t just the jewellery people make, but the friendships that have been formed through the classes. We have a real community, with many students returning year after year. We even organise jewellery school trips together, including visits to the Victoria & Albert Museum and Goldsmiths’ Fair in London.
People often tell me that jewellery making is addictive! My classes give people the chance to switch off from the pressures of everyday life, learn something completely new and enjoy being creative for a few hours. There is nothing better than seeing someone’s face when they realise they have made something they never believed they could.
One of my favourite things is when former students get in touch years later to tell me they are still wearing the jewellery they made in class. Knowing that something they created has become part of their everyday life is incredibly special.
Today at the Jewellery School
Today the jewellery school is busier than I ever imagined. We run everything from one-day workshops, such as Silver Stacking Rings and Bangles, to 10-week courses for complete beginners through to more advanced jewellery makers. We’ve also welcomed countless birthdays, hen parties and private groups over the years, helping people celebrate special occasions by creating something completely unique.
Looking back over the last ten years, I don’t think it’s the jewellery I’ll remember most.
It’s the people.
Watching someone arrive convinced they aren’t creative and leave proudly wearing a ring they’ve made themselves never gets old. Seeing friendships form, welcoming familiar faces back each week and hearing that someone is still wearing a piece they made years ago are the moments that remind me why I love teaching.
So, to everyone who has been part of Hampshire School of Jewellery over the last ten years, whether you came for one workshop, joined me for a 10-week course or have been with me since the very beginning… thank you. You have made this journey far more special than I ever imagined.
Here’s to the next ten years!
For more information about Hampshire School of Jewellery and upcoming classes, visit www.hampshireschoolofjewellery.com.
You can also send me an email with any questions you may have from the contact page.
Thank you to the Basingstoke Gazette for publishing the story too- https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/26403735.hampshire-school-jewellery-celebrates-10-years/
