This is the Photo We’ve Waited a Long Time For!

We’ve done a lot of Shed building this past few months. we are now moving to the phase of making use of the Shed!

Last week we collected donated equipment from Preston Museum. It included an Axminster lathe in fire engine red. Today (Tuesday) Shedder Colin (a time served  wood turner), assisted by junior Graham, assembled the lathe, cleaned it and set it up for a trial spindle turn.

Colin’s knowledge and attention to detail (including safety) is excellent.

Colin setting up the tool rest, a fraction from the piece to be turned.

“It transformed my life” was a statement made.

It was not said about a Shed in a Shed, but in a charity shop in Barnard Castle by a volunteer salesperson. What was the “it”?  The person was walking-impaired though able to stand to serve customers. However, she had been restricted in what she could do and had been a tad housebound (Graham thinks).

Trionic Rollator Walker - 14 Inch Wheels - Black & Green

The “it” was a sturdy,  all-terrain walker on 4 wheels, with disc brakes and an inbuilt canvass seat. The cocept was not new but it was far stronger than anything Graham had seen before. So, an impressive beast BUT IT HAD CHANGED THE PERSON’S LIFE.  She explained that she now felt far more independent and able to engage in community life and to volunteer for instance.

Sheds are places that do good but there is a wide variety of “things” that can grant a feeling of relief and release.

Colin, above, justifiably felt upbeat at the contribution he made last Tuesday using his know-how about lathes. He was genuinely very encouraging to us as he took the lead.

Make of this snippet what you will from your experience but it might reflect  the old saying ” You get out of life what you put in”. Investment in life and we can all do it, benefitting others too.

Thanks to all who are making Norton Shed workable for ourselves and others to come.

A week on . . . . .

We began to insulate the cabin ceiling with SuperFoil and a staplegun. Why do it now?  Because the foil will keep heat in during winter and now, in the “ain’t half hot mum” July in Norton, it will reflect heat to keep the Portakabin cooler. Intention is to complete the work of Friday in the morning and evening sessions.

Purchased 6 garden chairs (with armrests) and cushions. Stackable. A good buy from B&Q at £25 a piece.

Colin was here again and engaged with woodturning. Here he is in motion.

And he swept and vacuumed up the wood chips too! A model Shedder!!

A lovely aroma of wood too.

Activity on the fields and further afield.

There’s plenty of action going on around us. There has been a continuous stream of events for schools and other groups going on. A steady foot traffic and with the Shed logo on the end of the Portakabin there are opportunities to explain about the Shed to passers-by who take too much interest! We are feeling part of a community at Norton Sports Charity site and co-workers in benefitting people of all ages.

Recently Graham contributed to a couple of events that were seeking to put forward views to Government on mental health strategies. Men are a problem in that we don’t socialise as well as women! A joke but more a fact. Here is a short presentation on the benefits of Men’s Sheds for you to peruse.

Ambassadors benefits of Sheds

We end the week getting closer to having things working at the Shed

Friday evening saw Scotty Dave install the new “heater” tap. It plugs into a 13 amp socket and depending on the flow rate a temperature of over 40 centigrade is achieved. Ideal for washing up and cooler for hand washing. It really makes a difference.

 

Proud of our tap!

We added the paper towel dispenser

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We continued fitting the foil insulation to the roof which may help keep both heat and cold at bay. Target completion in a week’s time.

Finally, Shedder Colin continued with making a toilet roll holder.

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