Happy New Year to you all.
We’ve just reopened after the Christmas break and the snow with some great news on the funding front:
- from the Scottish Government’s Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund we have received funding to cover our basic running costs for the next 2 years.
- from the Macaskill Family Trust we have recieved funding for the purchase & installation of a Polycrub ‘polytunnel’.
We had a very successful open day on the 15th November with the usual BBQ, cakes and other refreshments. We sold Christmas items made in the Shed, tool and took orders for house signs, chopping boards, laser engraved items etc..
We are now planning for the spring and summer. We want to increase the social activities in the Shed (dominoes, cards, board games, music group etc.) – these were active before Covid but haven’t really go going since. If you’ve ideas and/or what to get involved please let us know.
Over the next few months we will be formally submitting an Asset Transfer request to the Council to acquire the Shed and to increase the area of the site.
The mechanical workshop is keeping very busy. The latest completely refurbished motorbike (BSA – photo) was finished at the end of October. The guys are now working on a Norton Commando – which is a complete rebuild from parts in boxes! For someone wanting to learn about refurbishing motorbikes, this is a great opportunity to get involved. Push bike refurbishing is also progressing well – but we could do with more help. If you are interested in bike or motorbike maintenance and would like to get involved, please contact us – we can potentially put you through pushbike maintenance accreditation courses.
We held a fund-raising quiz at Ellon Golf Club in October – a fun night was had by all and we also sold items made in the Shed.
The laser engraver and 3D printers have been very busy. The laser engraver has been used to make slate place mats, wooden ornaments, key rings etc.. These have proven to be particularly popular engraved with golf club, football club logos etc.. Example photos are attached – we can make bespoke items to order.
The woodworking workshop has been busy making commemorative poppies, planters, bird boxes etc., refurbishing wooden items etc..
The Shed’s Pétanque Club continued meeting on Thursday afternoons. Please see our Facebook page for announcements about future meeting times. If you are interested, please get in touch.
In collaboration with Aberdeenshire Council Community Learning and Development team, we are holding ‘Digital Skills’ drop-in sessions on Monday afternoons from 1.30pm. If you need help with your phone, laptop or computers please come along.
We are again running the Shed Winter Café on Wednesdays from 12th November (11am – 3pm). Currently planning to run on these until end February.
We are helping Arnage Primary School with a children’s pre-Christmas project. We are providing picture frames, replacing glass with Perspex and fitting them with mount board. The children will then create the art work to go into the frames.
The Wednesday sessions of the developing Women’s Shed have been very well received by the attendees. The induction and training process is a key part of this journey and will take time to work through to fully establish a stand-alone Women’s Shed. The women attend DIY, woodworking, 3D printing, laser engraving, picture framing, bike maintenance and two women have attended a CNC training programme.
The Men’s Shed will carry on being run as a social/hobby place for men. The underpinning need for a dedicated men’s shed hasn’t changed. If you are interested, please contact us on either ellonmensshed@gmail.com or ellonwomensshed@gmail.com.
If you are interested in visiting the Shed, or becoming a member, we would love to see you – we are open 10am-4pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Please check our website (www.ellonmensshed.org) and Facebook (facebook.com/EllonMensShed) for updates on opening times etc..
Photos below: mechanical workshop with motorbike being refurbished.
