SALE Moor Community Partnership is organising a free 10 week arts workshop leading to an award.

Aimed at young people, it is the brainchild of its manager, Jamie Rennie who began life drawing illegal graffiti.

Jamie, 44, from Old Trafford had a tough upbringing and took out his anger in graffiti.

A political activist, he used street art to rile against consumerism.

He said: “One night in the eighties a gang of us painted over a huge white wall between Trafford Bar and Old Trafford stations.

“On our way home, the police stopped us but they hadn’t seen the graffiti. We legged it.

“The next day we returned to take a picture and it had all gone.”

When he was 16, he spotted one of his works on an ad for JD Sports who had, obviously, realised his talent.

He telephoned and they commissioned another painting from him.

This spurred him to study design at Staffordshire University which led him into glass blowing.

He even made a replacement claret jug for the Queen after Princess Margaret broke the original.

So he set up his own glass blowing business. Then tragedy struck. Within six months he had broken bones in both his hands, once tripping over tools left by workers and again, after a chair collapsed and he put out his hand to save himself.

So it was back to street art. This time legally. He applied to Sale Moor Community Partnership to help youngsters with art and has now worked there for 14 Years.

“I work two days a week and spend the rest of my time getting commissions for street art,” he said.

* The workshop begins on January 13 and anyone interested in finding out more should call 0161 962 3636

For examples of Jamie’s work, visit jmedzynz.