Our Journey

Where we are now

Our ever increasing team of five Shed Supervisors includes four ex-High School Design & Technology Teachers. All members of the team are personable, inclusive, encouraging practitioners who are sensitive and experienced in working with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds.

We have been supporting the Lighthouse Community and St George’s Crypt, who help individuals who have been battered and bruised by the storms of life.

We have charitable status with trustees to oversee the operation of the Shed and a Treasurer to manage our own accounts. In compliance with charity law our accounts have been externally examined and reported to the Charity Commission. Our report for last year can be seen at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/sector-data/top-10-charities/-/charity-details/5139150

 

How we began

In Spring 2019 St James Parish Church Council took the decision to repurpose the redundant Scout Hut to serve the local area as a community workshop - the 'Horsforth Shed'. Years of disuse and decay meant that considerable renovation was needed to make the building serviceable.

Planning permission was granted in July 2019 with the drawing for the application completed professionally by a volunteer.

 

Phase one - remedial works

All detritus were removed from the cellar and the building itself. This was a job in itself filling three skips with endless runs to the recycling centre. The kitchen wall and one toilet wall were removed. External drain channels were installed to stop the ingress of damp. Door openings were widened as necessary. Capture the http://swisswatch.is/ replica watches beauty of cherry blossoms in bloom along Tokyo’s Meguro River.

The ceilings, redundant timbers, damaged flooring and rotten joists were removed and the extensive woodworm was treated by a local company for no charge.

All electrical cables and appliances were removed. Pipe work, sinks and toilets were removed. The gas supply was capped off and all appliances were removed. For environmental reasons, we are following the trend to move away from gas fired heating

The old asbestos roof was professionally removed. It was found that the wooden purlins supporting the roof also needed replacing. Guttering was completely cleared of infilled concrete.

 

Phase two - renovating the building

The insulated roof was fitted with new steel purlins and integral skylights. Guttering was cleared and relined with a butyl membrane with a 25 year guarantee. The building was finally watertight.

Due to wet rot and woodworm infestation some joists and flooring needed replacement. All other woodworm was treated free of charge by a local company. Door frames were fitted and new doors installed. A loft ladder was fitted to access the loft area above the toilets and entrance hall. In the workshop space a new sink unit was installed. We completed a glazed partition to create an area to eat and socialise and completed installing the kitchen.

For safety reasons the lighting included escape lighting to allow safe exit should mains power fail. For environmental reasons we fitted low energy electrical lighting. Thermostatically controlled electrical heaters were fitted throughout the building with local water heaters at both sinks. All these items were donated by a national construction company.

The building was made accessible for wheelchair users and was fitted with an accessible toilet. All sanitary ware and washbasins were donated by a national construction company.

To improve access a raised pavement was laid with tarmac put down in the adjacent car park area. We have also paved a patio area and insulated and rendered the porch. The building was insulated and clad with durable fibre cement cladding boards and a new exterior wall was built.

 

Phase three - equipping the workshop

We received free professional advice on workshop layout and took receipt of donated work benches, storage cupboards which were refurbished and repurposed by our volunteer team. We received some generous donations of tools and equipment. Finally we bought several larger pieces of machinery to complete the workshop.

 

The Grand Opening

On Sunday 25th July 2021 we officially opened the Horsforth Shed. Due to delays caused by the COVID pandemic there was still some remaining work to be done but this was completed before the end of November.  It now has a new life serving the local community by beginning to engage with wide range of groups through workshop activities. To facilitate this, we have appointed Richard Hamlin as part-time Shed Manager who will co-ordinate a team of volunteers to support the project.