SWF Men’s Shed is situated in the old Cluney upholstery building at 19 Woodham Halt. We rent at from Mr Bob Penny, and we can’t wait to see more of you turn up for a cuppa and a biscuit (or three!).
We are open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays 10 until 1, but we would love to open on a Saturday and maybe for the ladies to come along too. Let us know sooner rather than later please.
The Shed membership has more than doubled since we started opening fully and it is diverse in both experience and reasons for attending. We pride ourselves in support of Men’s Mental Health being inclusive and everyone is welcome to come and see what the shed has to offer them. The Hub has recently become more active, and Doug Green has personally funded the refurbishment of the back-room toilet and kitchen area so that it has disabled access, alarm and better lighting.
We held our first A.G.M. In April 2024 and will shortly be holding our next one where you are all cordially invited to attend and apply for positions in the committee. April 2024 saw David Shea standing down as the Chair, having done a great deal of work alongside Byron Jenkins to bring about all the systems and paperwork needed to set us up. John Bevan was chosen as Chair and Craig Livesey as Secretary. David assumed the post of Fundraiser since then we have welcomed on to the committee Roger Little to help with fund raising.
Every session is filled with humour and a spirit of camaraderie. We share experience and set the world to rights in a light-hearted fashion. If anyone thinks they could receive help from joining us just pop along on one of the mornings, we are open with no obligation for a look round and a cup of tea or coffee.
Our year started with a big commission to make and erect an actual Shed for the SWF Community Garden, and we have been successful in selling a great many bird boxes, and bird tables thanks to the efforts of our members. Some are available from Mister Gees Popup Shop and the back of Warwick Parade. We have had other smaller commissions which completed by the Shed members.
We wish to thank those businesses that have helped us set up and continue to support us such as Asda via Lisa Kelly their charity rep, CIS Electrical, Daryl Freer local plumber, Howdens, and Wickes.
A special thanks to Medivet our neighbours who allow use some parking spaces and neighbours on the other side S10 for discounted supplies.
If we could find a place that’s a lot cheaper to run, we would jump at it, but as the town is relatively young there aren’t the disused buildings (as far as we know) that is common in older towns, so we haven’t had much choice to get something nice and cheap! Many sheds pay a peppercorn rent to the local council for an old building, like the Maldon Shed, they use the old mortuary! It’s small, but it’s been a great place to get them started, and we are sure they will grow soon and are looking for a bigger property, but their current rent is only £150 for the year, whereas ours is over £14,000! We had hoped to use part of the old Chetwood school but that is to be used as an annex for a special needs school from Rayleigh, and we also asked for the use of the land at the ATC, or a place at the playing fields, but that has been rejected by the Council.
We have the use of the building to the end of this 2025, so we need to make the Shed and the Hub as popular as possible, if not, we and the Hub have an uncertain future!
So, has anyone got some space to put up some containers, or even an old building that they don’t to use within the Woodham area?
In the meantime, please come in and support us or the Hub. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
History:
The idea of the Shed and Hub started way before now, back in in June of 2023, Doug Green, of Mister Gees Foundation, secured the property for the use of the community with the idea of a SWF Men’s Shed and Community Hub. The Shed had a small but resolute group of volunteers, who started work on the property around the end of September, but we really came alive in March of 2024, opening initially on a Thursday morning and later expanding to Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings, with the Grand Opening by the Mayor on the 4th of April.
The shed initially started with a grant from the. Mr Gee Foundation and has paid for a two-year lease on the building we occupy, but that initial lease runs out at the end of June 2025, and finding the funds to meet the rent is challenging as we need more members to come along. Your input and suggestions on what days and times to open is welcome, but we need people to attend. We can train you too if you want to use the workshop and can be open to women too, so that’s why we need you to at least show us if you are interested!
SWF Shed committee and Doug Green have been exploring what opportunities there are to fund our continuation in this building, and that’s where the startup of SWF Community Hub is well on the way to helping rent out the building for a little more income, again another avenue for all of you to get involved as this is an open to all genders, not just the men. The rooms can be obtained to do anything from general meeting, training, crafting or just a place to get the family and friends together to start up a new club! Check out the availability on the CVS web site.
We have the use of the building to the end of this 2025, so we need to make the Shed and the Hub as popular as possible, if not, we and the Hub have an uncertain future!
So come on, pop in and be part of this wonderful community, bring your skills no matter what they are, even if it’s only making the tea!
WhatsApp: 07387-159275
Web: swfshed.co.uk
(Photo top: SWF Men’s Shed members outside the venue)