When Portsmouth University closed their Ceramics facilities in 2012 all the equipment was donated to Ginny Topp, a local ceramic artist and MA Fine Art graduate to use for the benefit of the community. Ginny negotiated with the Workers Education Association (WEA) to locate the equipment at the Omega Centre and established The Clay Station. Ginny supports the WEA allowing the use of the equipment to run WEA Ceramics courses in central Portsmouth.

The Clay Station is a ‘Not for Profit’ organisation run entirley by volunteers who’s aims are

To promote all aspects of Ceramic art and                                                                                                                                                                    (i) To reinvigorate and sustain the practice of traditional ceramics.                                                                                             (ii) To provide diverse groups of people from Portsmouth and surrounding areas the opportunity to experience working and developing skills with clay at all levels of experience.

The Clay Station has a very loyal, friendly and supportive membership group who enjoy working with clay together regularly each week.

In addition to a members’ group and supporting the WEA we are working on specific funded projects providing ceramics courses and workshops to a far wider community, particularly to deprived sections that often do not have the opportunities that other sectors have. We also run a children’s Clay Club and hope to collaborate with local schools in the very near future.