Sarah Verdon

Prior to working with WMG, Sarah spent 15 years in Luxury Fashion including nine years in Rocha studios. Over this time she managed production and sampling, wholesale campaigns and product and design development. Sarah came to WMG as she wanted to use her experience to advance sustainable and ethical approaches to fashion production. As Sarah says “combining my passion for producing high quality fashion with the opportunity to create real opportunities for people, is something I feel really grateful. A good day in the workshop is watching someone achieve something they never thought they could, then packaging up the high quality finished products, knowing that the customer will love the product and the story behind it’.

Joan

Co-Founder at We Make Good, Joan has 20 years experience in creative project management. Since she was a child, she has been fascinated by making - knitting, sewing, woodwork, DIY...she likes to turn her hand to anything and believes that many of us have the same capacity, given the opportunity and the support. She firmly believes that through making, we can learn about ourselves, and discover our own strengths and resilience. The rich tapestry of people that she gets to work and collaborate with on a daily basis is a source of genuine joy, and a great privilege.

Trish

After qualifying in textile design from NCAD, Trish worked as a designer for an Irish retailer. Realising how fragmented the manufacturing process is, she sought to find ways of making and creating that relied on reclaimed, recycled or natural materials and worked with like-minded brands in London for several years. Trish also taught at London College of Fashion and developed a passion for supporting people to realise their visions and develop new technical skills. Trish says of working in WMG “I am really motivated to create opportunities for people to develop craft careers, especially when they have not had the opportunity to pursue personal interests and talents.”

Mariam

Mariam is from Georgia and left three years ago to seek asylum in Ireland, with her two children and husband. The hardest thing about this transition was leaving her family, but needed to leave for the future of her children and safety of her family. Adapting to an entirely new culture without friends or networks was the hardest thing, this made getting a job challenging. Mariam says of We Make Good: ‘It is really important that in my work I feel that I am doing something that is important and useful for others, and that sets a good example for my children. I am developing my skills in high-end tailoring. In five years I would like to have my own couture brand. This has been my childhood dream, I will be happy if people wear my clothes.’

Nadine

Nadine is proudly Dublin born and bred. Having overcome a number of life struggles including childhood challenges, homelessness and addiction. Nadine is rebuilding her life, one day at a time. As a core member of the team, she is using this experience to build work skills, friendships and develop her leadership. She is becoming a seasoned media spokesperson: communicating the importance of second chances, and showing through her achievements the power of the human spirit in overcoming adversity.

Virginie

Hailing originally from Togo, Virginie came to Ireland as a refugee in 2005. She is now delighted to have become an Irish citizen since then, an identity she is proud of. Virginie has experienced hardship throughout the journey that has brought her here, including leaving family in Togo and experiencing homelessness in Ireland. A staple throughout Virginie's life, and one which she is now building on, is making clothes. She is honing her skills in the workshop and is becoming an increasingly talented seamstress.

Anthony

Anto is Dublin born and bred, and is a natural sales man who prides himself on being approachable and able to talk to anyone. Skills that were developed in ways that led to him being in the criminal justice system and now being used to serve clients and help grow the WMG business. He says that working in WMG ‘means everything to me, as I have a second chance, I am motivated not just to improve my life but also for my family. I am sober over a year now and I’m working full time. I hope I can show the way for others - just because you got into crime it doesn’t mean you stay in it. When you are earning a legal income, you don’t have to look over your shoulder all the time, it’s really living. For the future I hope to take over this place, I reckon I could be the boss!’

Tommy

Tommy is very proud to be a Traveller. Growing up in Traveller culture meant freedom and a huge enjoyment nature and simple living, summers in particular were brilliant. However his culture also meant having to sometimes move on from places he loved, and later in life, Tommy’s Traveller identify attracted discrimination in school and in work. The exclusion that comes with experiencing racism for much of his life, has had a significant impact on Tommy’ sense of wellbeing. In WMG Working with his hands. ‘A good day at work for me is when we have a good list of stuff to do and we have to get it done, as close to perfect as we can. What I have now, I am happy with. This is the first job where everyone here is good to talk to, I’ve had jobs where they were not and it makes like difficult’. I’d like to have a job in the future where I can then help other people learn the skills I have’.

Caroline

Caroline is co-founder of We Make Good

To hear a TedX about the project click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXtBYQP2ITo

Yvonne

As the Social Enterprise Staff Support Person at We Make Good, Yvonne supports people who have complex lived experience to realise their potential and to maximize opportunities for personal and professional development in We Make Good. She strongly believes that meaningful employment acts as a powerful catalyst for change which can have a profound impact for individuals, families, and communities. Yvonne says: ‘I am constantly in awe of the incredible work ethic, unbelievable talent and capabilities of the staff at We Make Good. I feel very lucky to be involved in this inspirational journey that they are taking, both as individuals and as a team'. She has a background in Social Care, Training and Community Development, and is a trainer in Trauma Informed Practice. 

Sarah Ryan

Sarah Ryan is our Sales and Marketing manager at We Make Good. She is deeply passionate about ethical marketing & sales strategy and its role in creating social justice & environmental protection.  Sarah has 10 years experience in Sales & Digital Marketing in a range of enterprises and is currently completing her Masters with a focus on Ethical Marketing. She is a qualified Digital Marketer and a  formally trained photographer (BA Fine Art), and designer. Previous projects involve the development & implementation of a marketing & retail development plan that doubled sales and online followers of The Urban Co-op Grocery Limerick over a two year+ period. She currently manages a portfolio of ethically and socially focused organisations and enterprises.