Yes, it’s beginning to wing it!
Friday was a very productive day, both morning and evening. In the morning the platform in front of the patio door was strengthened and boards secured and we attended to the big doors. Colin wood turned on, produced a great result on cleaning the area under the lathe with the vac and Graham hammered the metal strip across the front of the Portakabin and screwed it back.
In the afternoon Graham took a grandson to find some vinyl flooring at Franks where there are often end of rolls. After quite a bit of searching (and grandson showing signs of boredom) two rolls were selected and purchased with Franks knocking £20 off the price in recognition of the community work the Shed does. Interesting that Alex, the young guy who served us had a real grasp of Sheds, particularly when we mentioned how good Sheds are for preserving and restoring mental wellbeing.
Friday evening with Scotty Dave saw the platform completed, a planter started, filler used to seal between the metal strip and the cabin external wall and black paint applied over it and to some of the rear of the Portakabin.
Productive indeed and some photos will be added here . . . .
A hello from the distant South
Here is a greeting to our Sheds from Patrick Abraham in Somerset, founder of Frome Men’s Shed, who has been a keen supporter of Sheds in Whitby and Norton. He has the same idea of what the purpose of Sheds is that we do. Here is what he wrote about a blog on the Whitby web-site that included a chunk related to late Shedder Eddie whose lathe we have at Norton.
Hi Graham – I hope you’re well.
Just read through this page:- https://whitbysheds.co.uk/its-all-about-people-stupid/
Including the Shedders, the PowerPoint and emails about Eddie – A great webpage, and presentation.
Great stuff – well done.
Best wishes to all the Whitby, Staithes, BayThorpe and Norton Shedders.
Regards
Patrick
Patrick Abrahams
Frome Shed
UK Men’s Sheds Association – Ambassador
www.menssheds.org.uk
Patrick has a very effective approach to discovering by automated search anything in the public domain about Sheds and mental health and wellbeing. The blog came up automatically onto his plate to snack on!
Health and Safety prominent
Sheds are remarkably safe places. It is often hand held non power tools that lead to cuts and abrasions and Whitby Sheds have found it is when people are doing the familiar mundane and the mind wanders that minor accidents happen. A First Aid box we have and an accident report book.
There’s a new header page “H&S” on the top bar that will include information largely sourced from Health & Safety Executive. Sheds that are entirely voluntarily run (like NORMENS and the Whitby Sheds) are not subject to Work Place Regulations but the principles should still apply.
We are starting with electrical equipment and will progress to other elements of safety over the next few weeks (drawing on info first used in Whitby).
And today we rolled out the grey vinyl flooring . . .
In the kitchenette. And Paul and Pat fitted it.
There’s another roll of flooring to go down in the lathe and big equipment room (aka the Switch Room and Colin’s Domain).Here is what Colin got up to today. He’s making a table lamp stand. He’s a huge part of the Shed and has a great sense of humour.
Railway Dave and Colin fixed a band saw by careful adjustment. It is now no longer jamming.
If you are not familiar with Norton Shed and simply looking through some blogs you may well believe it is about building work. However, Colin is the antidote to that!
It has been demanding. Doing what we do in 3 sessions a week and for a good while little floor space to work in. The good thing is that the Shedders we have can honestly say they made their own Shed! They are part of it and it is part of them.
It’s an investment of effort to benefit themselves and also new Shedders as they come along.