Registered Charity Number 1212037
Diversity is a feature of Norton Men’s Shed. Diverse people with diverse interests, diverse personalities, diverse reasons for needing a Shed and diverse skills levels.
A mixed economy
To meet these diversities we already have 3 different styles of Shed. Two days for a general Shed with a mix of people mainly on the go doing (15 – 20 people). The Monday Shed is when people can spend time in conversation with a lesser degree of hands on work than the two main days (9 – 12) people. Then Thursday Shed is primarily for men with a cancer diagnosis.
The objective of all 3 styles over 4 days is to combat isolation and loneliness and to gain confidence to meet others and relate to them. New friends.
What happens on Wednesday? Nothing. That is where our Shed has capacity to expand its reach out and create a 4th style – a morning for people to work on a project of their own. Bringing something in with them to refurbish, repair or upcycle. Using equipment, tools and techniques already at the Shed.
It is modelled on TV’s The Repair Shop and Dennis’ art classes with a flavour of Raspberry Pi Dave! Capped at 10 Shedders possibly. It would be for those already experienced at the task or who might become an apprentice in a skill. What kind of things?
- Woodturning
- 3D design and printing
- Reupholstery of “manageable items” like a dining chair
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Furniture restoration of a side table- Repair of electronic devices
- Learning computer skills (from a tutor)
- Model making for railway
- Cycle repair
Machine embroidery on T shirts- Fancy birdboxes
- . . . . . whatever, or not!
At Dennis’ art classes attenders talk to each other, but more as in the repair Shed by helping each other out or sharing different aspects of restoring the same item.
Convivial doing!
The Skills Shop is another take on Normens Shed, best suited to those who enjoy lone working in the company of others.
When? The concept is still being worked on. Interested, make it known.
Doll’s House
Dolls’ house showing 3d printed door and windows at Starfish Art Group near Red Balloons. 3D printed by Shedder Paul.
Friday Shed peek
One instant all lathes were in use. Quick do a short video. Not quick enough because Dennis walked from one lathe over to Deep Sea Dave to discuss an issue. Result was that by the time the video started there were only two! Never mind . . . .
Dennis admires his craftsmanship
Dennis – all talented (!)
– was also at work a later gluing and screwing the new door frame for the Portacabin.
Nothing temporary about what he does!
Pitch for Purpose by The Teesside Charity
Tipped off by Louise at Norton Sports Charity, Graham & 3D did Paul put together an application at 2 days notice to the Teesside Charity’s Pitch for Purpose event in later March,
We have just heard that Norton Men’s Shed have been successful in qualifying to pitch.
Expect The Skills Shed to probably feature. It was not mentioned in the application because it had not been shared with Shedders at that stage. It is now:-)
NE Ladies Day
Wheelchair Steve and Graham are off to the Day on Wednesday 19th March at Wynyard Hall. They will lunch with 100 women (Graham’s guess). Carol from NELD will be visiting us before the day. The Ladies were the donors of £1000 towards our anticipated recladding of the Portacabin. In fact it is the lion’s share.
So Graham and Steve are off to say thank you and to encourage their fundraising efforts for local charitable work.
Why 2 of us? Because we’ll feel safer together!
Just to worry us. (acknowledging Gary Walsh photography)
Registering Norton Men’s Shed with HMRC for recovery of Gift Aided donations
Paperwork done and submitted. Wait now for 6 weeks!
So, subject to regular evidence of donations (big or small), we can recover an additional 25p for each pound donated.
All anyone needs to do (Shedders, families and friends) is to complete a once off Gift Aid Declaration form; basically stating that you pay tax. If you don’t, then you are not eligible to complete the declaration.
Monday Shedder Electric Paul will help with collecting completed forms on a Monday and get this going and we’ll then move on to other days.
It is IMPORTANT that we always sign in using the diary each time we visit for reasons of H&S (basically fire) but also to write down any subs donation against your name.
All that glisters is not gold, wrote Shakespeare. It’s true of Paul’s egg cup!
The Golden Egg Cup and the MP
Norton Shed had written to 4 local MPs on Teesside and the Tees Valley Mayor stressing the role and importance of Men’s Sheds to communities. That was at the beginning of the week .
We invited them to attend the Shed to hear more than see the nature of Men’s Sheds generally through the lens of Normens. How a Men’s Shed can help someone to help themself and also each other. More than one Shedder mentioned the word “family”.
And so, MP Matt Vickers asked to come on Saturday (!) – not usually a working day for us. But Dad’s army and Last of the Summer Wine were conscripted. And it wasn’t a working day because it took the form of a very social occasion for the Shedders too.
First a few photos to illustrate what went on. Taken by Trustee Danielle. We even had the Monday Dog, Cody, present with his member’s collar badge and also Sasha, a “bairn” of one of our regular Shedders and her Mum who volunteers for Northern Cancer Voices (one of our supporting organisations).
So, what was our take on the visit. Well, as already mentioned, the visit lasted nearly two hours. An hour was our “must have” to get our message over. So it was not a rushed visit, having lots of characteristic banter and also lived experience accounts of the impact the Shed has had (see some of the stories at
The Shed and I (not Rodgers and Hammerstein) A “Sticky” blog of Stories).
What then about the “behaviour” of Matt Vickers? Well, he listened a lot. Saw a little of what we did and asked some very insightful questions. He came across as someone who wanted to hear the facts. He wasn’t on a whistle stop visit. He asked about other Sheds (pleased about that because it was one of our objectives) and Anne represented our collaborators.
One thing that was pleasing was a comment he made about Social Prescribing Link Workers. He heard mention of them in accounts from several of the Shedders. Kevin mentioned how he came to the Shed two years ago when a project he was attending was closing due to loss of funding.
Did we achieve our objectives? Absolutely, and UK Men’s Sheds Association is also pleased that we are reaching out to our local representatives on the national stage. Especially with the North East ShedConnect happening on March 12th in Middlesbrough.
We are looking forward to other visits from those contacted because it’s a subject that all MPs (and indeed health professionals) need to be aware of. Why aren’t they aware, you ask? Time is the simple answer. They lead pressured, fast paced lives without much time to just discover. Teamwork in helping people and genuine inclusion is what is essential – a blend of professional and volunteer.
Here is the text of the letter for Shedders to see:-
We’ll probably be inviting local government leaders and councillors after Easter.
[All that glisters . . . If one seeks out things in life-based on how they look, they’re going to end up empty-handed, like the Prince of Morocco in The Merchant of Venice.]
Facebook page for Norton Men’s Shed
Thanks to Danielle, a Facebook page has been set up with some initial content. It points to this web site and we can link to particular pages but it will be more a noticeboard the community can come across and follow. It is a short work in progress at present but will soon establish its own personality.
We’ll be looking for editors shortly. Don’t hesitate to volunteer.
It’s the same for Sheds!
Fly on the Wall
One of the very noticeable things when we have visitors is the way they pretty much see us as we are. A bunch of individuals communicating by grunts and banter. It is after all a Men’s Shed.
That happened with Matt Vickers and why we wanted at least an hour for him to discover what we are.
You cannot feel the Shed through written accounts, with a PowerPoint Show or with a flying visit. You cannot just photograph it.
Shedder Walter’s grandson finishing at Newcastle University has offered to video the Shed and edit to provide Norton Shed – The Movie.
We are thinking that it might take the form of a “fly-on-the-wall” record of everyday life in the Shed. A one day opportunity for us to be just as we are and let the camera and sound wander our Shed freely. Capturing more about the nature of Shed relationships than the wonders of a warhorse, turned wood bowl or golden egg cup.
Bit like the Archers but covering the everyday life of Shed folk!
WOW, what a week!
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