Star Trek weapons set to stun budding buyers (From Croydon Guardian)

Star Trek weapons made in Croydon set to stun budding buyers

8:00am Wednesday 21st December 2011 in Local news

A man with Asperger's has found his first ever job making replica Star Trek weapons.

Stefan Blakemore had struggled for years to find work and was referred to A4e – a work programme in Croydon.

The 28-year-old attended an interview with adviser Lee Miner and explained he had never had a job.

He said: “Then she asked me about my hobbies and interests, which caught me off guard. I told her: ‘I am Surrey’s biggest Star Trek fan’.

“I pulled out my laptop and started to show her pictures of me at various Star Trek conventions and pictures of me in all my glory dressed in my Star Trek Next Generation uniform.”

Inspired by Stefan’s talent as an artist, Hayden Mayes, who works with A4e customers in Croydon to help them into self-employment, realised Mr Blakemore might have a viable business idea.

Mr Blakemore said: “The idea was that we would work together to build a sustainable business which would get me off benefits and allow me to start working for myself.

“Of course, in the back of my mind was the question; ‘Would anyone buy them?’, but I started my project, signed off JSA and began building my Star Trek weapons.

“I worked day and night to complete as many full size weapons as possible in two weeks, before the next Star Trek convention in Milton Keynes.”

He headed to the convention hoping to sell one or two weapons but was sold out in an hour.

Mr Blakemore is already looking for a larger workshop and has several commissions. He charges between £80 and £150 for each replica weapon.

Mr Mayes, of A4e, said: “Stefan had a unique talent, but he is also very passionate about what he does.

“I believe Stefan has a real chance of making this business work - and in this current economic climate, that’s a real achievement.”

Mr Blakemore said: “I am now very much looking forward to a very exciting future and boldly going where I’ve never been before – into full-time employment.”