One of things I try to do in my work supporting the development of Men’s Sheds in Yorkshire is to encourage different sheds to support one another. Often other sheds are in fact the real experts on the ground as they have been there and done it for themselves. Secondly the sharing of experiece and skills also is a great confidence builder for the shed that is lending a hand. It is also builds resilience in to the shed movement so their are less dependent of the work of professional development workers like myself.
Over the last few months is great to see how this mutual support between sheds has grown.
Skipton Shed for example helped the Lion’s Den Shed at Keighley with their application to register as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. In turn members of Keighley shed have given some tools to Skipton Shed and helped train some of their members in their use.
More recently the Lion’s Den Shed, which has recently taken delivery of a secure workshop made from converted steel containers has welcomed members from Otley (Wharfedale) and Grassington sheds to see their new building.
What was great to see was that through these visits new new opportunities for skill sharing were identified. One member of the Grassington Shed is a retired fish farmer so was able to share some of his knowledge with the Lion’s Den Shed, who have some tanks with Coy Carp which they plan to breed. At the same time members of the Lion’s Den shed offered to visit Grassington to share their skills in working with glass.
(Photographs taken by members of the Lion’s Den Shed)
