The first bit of catching up is to announce an application that has been made for “UK Sheds” to be Guest Editors on the Today Programme (Radio 4) in August.
BBC Radio 4 “Today Programme”
About BBC Radio 4: Today Programme, Guest Editors 20th Anniversary Search (the ‘Opportunity’)
The Today programme has for the past 20 years invited a series of high profile people to guest edit the programme. In recent years, our guest editors have included Prince Harry, Angelina Jolie, Raheem Sterling and Dame Prue Leith. The idea behind the guest editors is to bring new perspectives and voices to the programme.
To mark 20 years of the guest editors, we want to invite communities from across the UK to guest edit the Today programme. Groups can apply to work with Today programme producers to design an episode around the subjects they are interested in.
We are looking for great ideas, stories that you want to hear on the Today programme or perhaps issues and individuals you want to shine a light on.
Your team members have to be willing to be on the radio to take part and be identified, but none of you will need radio or broadcasting experience to apply. Our producers will work with the teams to commission radio pieces and interviews and build your guest edited episode.
Graham joined a team of 5 other Shed Ambassadors/Leaders and have applied to be a a Guest Editor team in August. They represent regions across UK. So Whitby Town, Staithes, BayThorpe and Norton Sheds are part of the North East representation.
The closing date for applications has now passed. Written contributions were made of possible content and a recorded trailer was submitted also. It may be a month or so before we hear anything and of course the number of teams may be very high. We need to be in it to win the opportunity though!
More catch ups are to be added – – – the update is that a submission was made comprising text and an audio promoting what Sheds are about. Thanks to Patrick Abrahams of Frome for bringing it together. An announcement will come from BBC in May.
Brian has a kitchen! What’s he cooking up?
Reporter Jim has provided an update on one of the projects Staithes Shed had undertaken. Brian is the chief tea maker and he needed to be rewarded. Here’s how . . .
With a massive Thank You from Staithes Shed to Howdens we now have a kitchen ….well to be more specific.. Brian has a kitchen …….
Brian worries us sometimes.
As you can see from the first photograph Brian is so overwhelmed with emotion he has broken into song and whilst our top flight kitchen engineer fitters Phill and Malcolm work their magic, Brian serenades them with a truly emotional rendition of Nessun Dorma ….the acoustics of the Shed only added to the emotion.
Tears could be seen trickling down Brian’s face caused by the overwhelming appreciation or straining to reach the high notes ……
Jim always pushes to the front. Seems that Phill and Malcolm are doing synchronised wall cupboard fitting.
The second photograph shows a smiling pair of Phill and Malcolm thoroughly enjoying working their magic on fitting the kitchen ……Brian enjoying a cuppa and giving his singing voice a rest ……
So in celebration of the new kitchen how about we have bacon Butty Monday next week (24th April)……
(They now have a kitchen sink but no piped water. Brian still has to carry plastic cans of water from the Sports Club on his head)
What about Whitby then?
They too benefitted from Howden’s Whitby. They have two tall storage units and several base units to complete a divider. They even have a corner carousel which is repurposed to sit on, not under, a counter top.
So indeed thanks to Howdens with whom we’ve have a relationship for 6 years now. We had a super long unit in Littlebeck originally. Norton Shed has benefitted too from Howden’s in Stockton. Such relationships help what is done to be recognised as wider community building.
Norton Shed has submitted an entry in the Partnership of the Year category of the UKMSA Shed of the Year awards 2023.
All entries are considered also for the Shed of the Year award.
What is the Partnership celebrated? It is the partnership with the Norton GP Social Prescribing group that was then followed through by the Stockton network plus several other variants in other organisations (Stockton Borough Council, Job Centre and NHS mental health service. It is reminiscent of the relationship back in 2016 with North Yorkshire County Council’s Whitby Living Well team. They spotted talent for Whitby Sheds.
Shed of the Year 2023-1
An older Norton Shedder is an enthusiastic Meccano Man. He’s made a mine shaft with a lift cage that travels between two “stops”. Electronics involved.
Meccano
Meccano has a certain nostalgia for many men. The metal strips and nuts & bolts with the little spanner and screwdriver.
Some kits these days are plastic. The car is. But others likew the 25 in 1 crane set are mainly metal, although thinner gauge than in our young day.
We have several kits of different sizes for any sedentary Shedder to enjoy but also for youngsters where their nostalgia may be for Lego.
These kits are labelled STEM kits. Educational/Training – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Bryn has replanted his garden . . . .
What a wonderfully peaceful place is Bryn’s garden.