Staithes & Fleetwood

Brrrrr.  Cold wind today. Roll on summer!

Life at Staithes centres on progressing the wooden shed. We completed lining the roof of one of three bays today.

Phil nailing up spacer strips (usually he screws things up)

Malcolm to cut the white 8′ x 4′ panel to length. (7′ precisely)

Note Graham’s blood on the white board above the drill.

The moth outline Martin cut on Monday

 

 

 

 

 

Ken on the scroll saw. A man of many talents.

 

 

We have the odd thinking Shedder in our Sheds. Quite odd really. On the one hand Malcolm is informing about duct tape and on the other he drifts into some deep thought. Take time to read slowly.

Hi Graham,

All duct tape is 50mm wide, white, black & silver. Your suggestion of plastic capping may look neater. Will have a better idea of requirements once all sheeting in place. Could also try bath sealant.

As mentioned, Desiderata, as relevant today as it was when first written in 1927. The last two sentences sums it up for me.

Malcolm

Desiderata

GO PLACIDLY amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

By Max Ehrmann © 1927

Fleetwood Men’s Shed

Fleetwood is the other place to Frome well into the Compassionate Community concept. Patrick Abrahams, our friendly Shedder from Frome, told us of very good news for Fleetwood Shed (not so long established) about a mystery donor of a building to the Shed. 

This is the story as contained in the pages of the Blackpool Gazette, on 11th January 2020

The Beehive Centre in FleetwoodA Fleetwood charity that offers a helping hand to men who are suffering from loneliness, anxiety and depression has found a new home – thanks to a donation from a generous mystery donor.

[Fleetwood] Men’s Shed opens its doors at The Beehive on Manor Road today, two years on from its humble beginnings in a Wetherspoon’s pub.

The building, which closed down in 2014, was purchased for £95,000 by a kind-hearted anonymous donor, who approached group founder Tony O’Neill in May last year following an interview with the BBC.

Tony said: “It was totally overwhelming. It’s all been sorted out for us. He has looked after us and all he wants in return is to see it work. It means the world to us. It means we have finally got a place of our own.

“We’re going to get woodworking machines in there and do some DIY. Every Wednesday we started a veteran’s breakfast at St David’s Church that has gone from strength to strength.

“We’re going to get some computers in there and help people with CVs, and get people from the mental health team to give talks. We’ve got all sorts going on.

“I started this group on the back of too many suicides in and around Fleetwood. Since I started we’ve learned a lot about mental health, but there’s still a massive stigma. A lot of men, if they were sat in the pub with their mates, they’d get told to shut up and man up, but now people are starting to realise it’s OK to not be OK.

“Still some people don’t want to be seen as being weak, but there’s nothing weak about it. It takes a lot of guts to ask for help.

“When I started this group I thought if it saves one person it would have been worth it. I have had eight people say to me so far that if it wasn’t for Men’s Shed, they wouldn’t be here. It’s humbling. That’s all I’m in it for.”

THESE are wonderful, meaningful words from Tony O’Neill. Fits our feelings too. Well done Tony. Keep up the compassion!

Comments are closed.