There’s community of people who help each other (like Shedders in their Shed!) but also community of organisations helping each other.
An example of the latter is the acquisition of the brushwood shredder. The Shedders at Staithes continued to eat through the pile of cut brushwood to begin clearing the green area next to the Staithes Shed.
It was particularly pleasing today to hear from Keith, one of the groundsmen, that we were making a considerable improvement (and could they borrow it to mince a pile of hedge trimmings!).
This replicates the appreciation that Norton Sports Charity has expressed for the work done to redecorate the changing rooms and viewing gallery at the cricket pavilion. We help them and they help the Shedders. Community!
Part of the pile which the Shed cut last year. Now it becomes chips!
Malcolm, Martyn (hiding) and Graham behind the camera tackled the brushwood.
A product test and the importance of reading the label!
Last year there was the offer through UK Men’s Shed Association to receive some free products of choice from Ronseal who had come on board as a corporate supporter.
These arrived recently (there is a blog showing it) but I decided to put a product to the test. We received three one litre cans of hardwood furniture restorer.
Graham has two of the round tables from the the Whitby Shed that the late Peter sanded down and treated. One table was in a summer house but the other in the garden. Thus one was a little more weathered and grey than the other.
Graham tackled the two tables with the product, painting it on. It did not seem to restore anything, it was colourless! Night had come and the next day Graham read the tin in a better light and read that it had to be painted on liberally and then scrubbed. Finally washed off.
That did the trick and it brought both tables up to more or less the same standard of finish.
The lesson is that it saves time to read the instructions and the result is better too! Many thanks Ronseal. The tables may be used at the new Norton Shed.
Many Faces of Sheds
Many moons ago (5 years worth in fact) SAMS when in Littlebeck produced calendars (Vistaprint) but also a booklet with about 15 of the Shedders presented anonymously (at least to the outside world).
The UK Men’s Shed Association wants to do an online equivalent with 100 or more accounts of the good that Sheds do. We have some new stories on the web-site already but the opportunity is now presented to give an account of your story and feelings about your Shed experience.
There was a Zoom meeting this week about it and some more detailed information is to be forwarded probably next week. When that arrives it will be added to this post.
Right in cue comes Bryn’s unique perspective as a visiting alien to Whitby Men’s Shed.
Bryn – a great friend to all at Whitby Shed. Ace.
Several years ago I was put in hospital for mental health reasons. The NHS have helped me a few times over the past years in order to place me in the right local vicinity where they could organise a recovery formula specified to my particular needs. The psychiatric team have been involved in connecting me to the right people in the community.
I’ve been interested in several activities in Whitby. Suffering as I do from cognitive dysfunction and auto selective mutism I was fascinated by their suggestion which led to a meeting with the team from social services. I met a nice lady Amy and lovely Lee – who loves music as do I. It was Amy who suggested I get involved, with their support, in the local Whitby Men’s Shed. It appealed to me and it was great to learn that attending was a real possibility, thanks to Amy.
Amy’s colleague Lee met me and spent time to help me with sometimes overwhelming anxiety of meeting new people in the state of mind I was in and still can be in. Lee was brilliant and took time to introduce and explain about the Shed and really saved my mind from crashing once more. I’m eternally grateful for his careful preparation since I did not wish return to to hospital to start rebuilding my mind again.
The people I met at Whitby Shed were lovely, truly calming and gentle natured. Very homely. I love doing things in workshops anyway so it was a win-win with lots of smiles! Going every week I got to know all the others at the Shed which has been a total pleasure.
I’m loving the patience shown in teaching me about power tool and machine safety which I greatly appreciate since although being 54 I’m set at 5 years old when it comes to equipment. I’ll always be a bit scared of noisy, vibrating, possibly dangerous, powerful, power tools has been wonderful and yes I’ve used them all before, long before my now grown up daughters were around.
So I know how to enjoy making, building and fixing but above all I love the company of the others and the laughter we all have together is ongoing. So thank you Graham and Rob for believing in the power of Sheds!
Long may the Shed shine.
Much appreciation from the Tea Boy:-)
Bryn
Bryn is into music composition and mixing. Not conventional words and music for entertainment but using media to explore scientific and spiritual themes, for instance.
Here’s a taster entitled “Glitch in Time: Open Stargate”
Bryn is an example of the magic of Sheds. Bryn is grateful for the Shed and his place in it but he gives so much of himself to the rest of us. He’s a very calming influence.
MP Sir Robert Goodwill was invited to the launch of UKMSA’s Mental Health Charter.
Dear Graham
Thank you very much indeed for your email of the 23rd of February, and I’m sorry for not getting back sooner. Thank you for your kind words! I hope you are keeping well and able to enjoy getting a little closer to back to normal.
Whilst I had hoped to get along to the event in Parliament on the 3rd of March I was unfortunately busy with other meetings, but hope that the event went well.
Having visited the Shed in Whitby I know what an important part of many peoples lives this can be, particularly those who may have become bereaved or widowed and in need of support in the community.
I hope that you will be able to liaise with your own MP in Norton-on-Tees, and show them what a great opportunity getting involved with the Sheds can be.
Yours sincerely,
Rt Hon Sir Robert Goodwill MP
Scarborough and Whitby