A skilled Dumbarton woodworker has transformed pews from a former town church into stunning chopping boards - in his top floor flat workshop.
Tom Gardiner, who lives in Westbridgend, upcycled the pews from the former EU Congregational Church on Glasgow Road into the striking pieces of kitchenware.
And he’s already had interest in them from locals with connections to the former kirk.
Tom told the Lennox: “I’d made some novelty items like coasters for friends and family and I’m a member of a Facebook group called Art for Everyone Dumbarton.
“I decided to put them up on that and a couple of women got in touch with me to say they and their parents had been married in the church, and that they would love something like that as a keepsake. Knowing that it’s from the church.
“I’m pleased with the way they’re finished. They were very dirty and took a lot of planning and sanding to finish them.
“I obviously had to cut out the shapes as well and add some bits and pieces to make them a bit more appealing.
“I’m going to get in touch with the women and let them pick whichever one they want.”
Despite his skill, woodwork is far removed from Tom’s career working in IT.
He explained: “I’ve been doing a bit of woodworking as a hobby over the past year or so; making the odd chopping board, coasters. Things like that.
“It’s something I’ve always been interested in. But I’d never worked professionally with wood.
“My background is in computers, I worked for the Daily Record in the IT department.
“I have dabbled a wee bit in woodwork. I made a bench and I’ve built a fence for a friend. I was driving past the church one day when I noticed a big pile of wood outside it. I went in and spoke to the guy, and asked him if he minded if I took a couple of bits.
“He offered me the lot but I picked up a little bit. It was a pew that had been cut in two.
“When I got it, it was in pretty bad condition. There were a lot of rusty nails in it and gouges out of it but I managed to salvage enough out of it to make three chopping boards.
“I knew I could make something from it. When I started to cut it up and look at it then a chopping board seemed the right option. I’d made a few before.
“There was a lot more wood there, it’s just a pity that I didn’t pick up any more than two bits. I wish now that I’d got more.”
And he has loved working on his upcycled creations so much that he’s dedicated a room in his top floor West Bridgend flat for similar projects.
Tom added: “My grandson was staying with me, but he moved away so I had a spare room. I’ve converted that into a work room, bought some tools and the rest, as they say, is history.”
