The Heritage Craft Association (HCA) began releasing a “red list” of Britain’s most critically endangered crafts and their skilled craftsmen and women in 2017.
It is intended to highlight age-old skills that are in danger of becoming extinct in the country that was formerly known as the “Workshop of the World”, such as gold beating, lacrosse stick making and sieve and riddle making.
Bailey explained that “in the not-too-distant future, AI will be a real threat to many jobs”, but that craft trades involve “manual dexterity,” meaning they are “potentially going to be in huge demand because they can’t be replaced by robots or AI”.
The award-winning comedian, who presents the show Bill Bailey’s Master Crafters: The Next Generation, added: “Making something with your hands fills a spiritual void.
“It can give you an immense sense of satisfaction. Crafts usually require time, effort and focus. They are the antithesis of the fast-paced nature of our modern world.”
