The Skills Shop, Opportunity Knocks and Doing the Dusting

A potentially very worthwhile few minutes if you can spare the time Shedders

Dear Men’s Sheds Leaders, I hope you are well. 

I am working with UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA) to do an online survey (10 mins now and 10 mins in 3 months) and some optional interviews to help us get more data about the usefulness of Men’s Shed’s.

The research request will be in the March Shoulder 2 Shoulder newsletter and soon on Men’s Sheds social media, but I am reaching out individually to as many sheds as possible to please request completion of the online questionnaire. 

It is anonymous and open to anyone who is a shed leader, volunteer, attends a shed or is involved in some way. We will be extremely grateful for survey completion. The link to the survey is below and after the QR code are links to the poster and recruitment message.

Feel free to get in contact with me if there are any questions. Please pass on to your volunteers and attendees to complete. 

There is a gift voucher prize draws (for questionnaire) and gift voucher given in return for time (for interview).  

Follow this link to the Survey: 
Take the Survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your Internet browser:
https://surreyfahs.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7UKWjNp8awSCTVc?Q_CHL=email

Kind Regards, 
 
Ben 
 
Ben Olby-Clements (he/him) 
Trainee Clinical Psychologist 
Programme Rep Year 3 (Cohort 51) 
University of Surrey 
In Collaboration with UKMSA 
B.Olby-Clements@surrey.ac.uk

[Graham has completed the questionnaire. A lot to read at the beginning (mainly about the ethics of the survey and data confidentiality) but the survey itself took about 10 – 15 minutes. If you do it, please do so with honesty and constructively or it is pointless!]

Now for the main theme, “Time to look to the future“

[The survey above is a part of looking to the future and informing that future.]

The last month has been a remarkable one. Celebrating 3 outcomes of reaching into the broader community. The broadest was probably the North East Ladies Day event where women were the norm (160 of them). That marked our receipt of £1000 for externally cladding the Portacabin. Next was the Billingham Buccaneers Ice Hockey team “charity” game where the spectators donated to the Shed a massive £2587.17 though when we counted and paid in it had become £2605. It has provided a sum that has no restrictions other than our own to use it wisely.

Finally there was last night’s Pitch for Purpose under the auspices of The Teesside Charity where the voting audience made our share of £5000, across 6 charities/projects, the magnificent sum of £1062. This for equipment related to dust extraction and computing amongst other things, aimed at improving the facilities for the new Wednesday Skills Shop “what we want” to support individual working of people in the company of others but not normally in teams (Like The Repair Shop).

Total from these 3 actions was £4667. Very good financial outcome news to the Shedders.

What else valuable comes through these events and connections?

At these events or connected to them are organisations and particularly individuals who share the same drivers we have – a) helping people in our communities and b) strengthening our communities.  How? Through small, everyday random acts of kindness and consideration really. About doing and making a difference to each other in the Shed, and outside it.  It is in the spontaneous that “Opportunity Knocks” (remember Hughie Green?).

We had Tom Judge visit us today. A man Steve and Graham met at the NELD luncheon, cat walk and speeches day recently. A curious man who enjoys carrying a fridge on his back as he wanders across Europe from Teesside. Teesside is the reason he does it. To benefit Teesside men with negative feelings about mental health for the kinds of reason we know. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3d5rg731kyo . Today Tom chatted with the Shedders and got a very good feel of what a Shed is about. About the way a Shed can lift a life. He heard it through some Shedders’ stories. 

Some of the Shed Trustees then met Tom separately to hear about his work and to hear some ideas he had for how we might work together in a very complementary way. Tom’s back next week with a colleague to discuss all further.

We mentioned in the previous blog about Walter being approached about making an ice skate boot to serve a similar purpose to the galleon. He has also got a model train in his schedule to restore for a Norton resident. 

Then a stranger came into the meeting with Tom. It was an archer. Not from Borsetshire nor from one of the episodes of Last of the Summer Wine, but clearly bearing the logo of a Norton Archer. The club wats 6 supports (like easels) to support the target boards. Over the years so much wood has been splintered from them by off target arrows that the present ones are weakened. Walter entertained the archer and we’ve made a new friend. A Shed is a strange place really. 

Shedder 3D Paul today referred to the preceding blog about jigsaw puzzles. At the meeting with Tom he simply commented that Tom’s work was like another chunk of jigsaw to connect with. 

Capping the morning was a call from a lady about her thoughts on another type of venture for mental health that would effectively be a Shed in effect, though not for woodworking or 3D printing. Very early days but it is an introduction arranged by Catalyst Stockton to see if we might share our experience. Happily.

What does Norton Men’s Shed stand for? What is the gold medal of success? 

We’ve often written and spoken about the fact that the Shed is the people, not the kit and not the place. 

The Shed is a process, the reverse of a mincing machine! For a newcomer or a signed up regular the Shed is not just a series of one morning occasions. So, in comes a man and “the process” gradually leads him down a track of change. He impacts the Shed (normally beneficially) and the Shed acts to provide an environment that is a process of change and growth. Restoration, repair, regeneration, rubbish clearance. All of these words and others are the essence of a good Shed’s process (not just Norton Shed). [Graham suspects it’s precisely what the Postpartum Matters charity who pitched just above us on Thursday is all about too, though with different tools and activities].

We do not want to impose change on an individual but for the individual to realise (to see!) the benefit the Shed is to others and to want that for themselves in a way tailored to them. In fact only they can do it. Change can be a real challenge to people because it often means moving out of a comfort zone which maybe has sustained them. But when they do take a first step (like a toddler learning to walk) they discover a whole new look to the world. Norton Shed has many men who very readily speak up for what the Shed (including them) has done for them as per the postcard.

An example of the change that comes about from seeing and wanting. Our Derick is an ex-Union Shop Steward who views people like Graham as “the Management” in the opposite corner of the boxing ring. [There is an element of untruth in this but it’s not easy to say where.] Derek has always been a very loyal thorn in that physically he cannot exert himself too much (though he sometimes has to help one of his Union Brothers). He mainly sat in a chair and appeared quite grumpy, and that probably was not an act.

So the mornings passed with Derick still enjoying the company of others and the opportunity to have a go at management.

Paul began to sow the seeds of the creative merit of 3D printing. It is actually quite boring to watch happen. The creative bit is to work on the creation of the 3D digital model.  Shop Steward Derick watched at a distance initially but was slowly lured towards it. He had used a computer before, mainly for spreadsheeting his pigeon club’s records of birds, times etc. 

The next stage was Derick getting to know Paul more deeply. Both are difficult individuals which probably made it easier. Derick started with handholding from Paul and then gradually he began to do some learning by video at home. The pinnacle was Paul taking on Derick as “his apprentice”. 

The change to Derick has been fascinating because he’s found a new interest and is part of a small exclusive club of printers! Paul is happy because he’s got someone else other than Graham to talk to about 3D printing of egg cup

Much of this actually true although it’s presented in a lighthearted way. For Derick, it is a serious step forward and that is something that we want to stress. The Shed has a lot of wind up banter and actions supporting that but the basis of the Shed is a serious matter because it is dealing with male suffering and the need to find a place that restores some of the past “good days”. 

So Derick, “Everybody out!”  Wonder if he actually said those words in the past? We’ll ask him. 

The Gold Medal of success is seeing people increasingly in control of their lives again. Await Paul to read this and manufacture some Gold Medals!

At the Garden Centre Graham met another Tom

This Tom was a Shedder at Staithes Men’s Shed for some years until he moved to Middlesbrough (easier accommodation for him and his wife who had cancer). After Tom left, we all sighed with relief (well, a bit) because Tom was just like our Deep Sea Dave, a non-conformist! 

Anyway, in Arcadia Garden Centre Graham was confronted by Tom. He was pleased to hear how Norton Shed was going and intends to visit soon. 

Lovely to meet Tom so unexpectedly.

Bowel Cancer Test

Do not read over lunch!  Deb and Bev left with us an example (do not use!) of a testing kit that the NHS is encouraging people to take up if offered. Men are one of the targets because we easily ignore symptoms.

They have also provided a link to a video on the subject. Just as with the survey at the top of this blog, it is worth taking seriously. No regrets.

And a more lighthearted end this blog