Shed Shout Out! - February 2025

We’re off to a busy start this New Year with good attendance numbers in spite of (or maybe because of) the wintry weather.  We’re lucky to be reasonably watertight and our heating does work well in the social area and in our smaller workshop - but we do not take our good luck for granted.  We have always known that our use of the Station Road site is temporary and redevelopment for housing is inevitable – quite when, though, has always been the question.

As we enter the New Year that is still the position but there are signs that the planning process is starting to flicker into life.  We’re a long way from needing to book removals but it does look like 2025 will be the year we need to start formulating plans for the next phase of Winslow Shed Life.  With this in mind, the Shed Committee has started to look at practical things we could be doing now to make life easier when we do get our marching orders.

It’s likely that planning, meetings and paperwork will eat into Shed time for the Committee and Trustees this year so probably a good time to think about recruitment.  If joining the Shed committee is on your wish list then nobody is going to believe you but if you think you (or someone you can nudge) could chip-in with ideas and experience that will help us through a period of change then please don’t be shy.  Our AGM is set for 8^th April so plenty of time to get a nomination in.

Will we fit our new home?

It's pretty certain that our new Shed will give us a lot less space than we have now so, in an attempt to see what downsizing is going to look and feel like, we’re going to designate our first ‘warehouse’ space as a tidier and more efficient workshop area for active project work only.  It will remain our woodworking machine shop and where we store our cleaner project materials.  You’ll have seen the progress we have already made on sifting, sorting, racking and stacking our masses of timber.   

Completed work, bulky items, projects, that are simply being stored and (e.g.) firewood and pallets for breaking will all find a temporary home in our second warehouse area. 

Our ‘removals’ process will doubtless involve tough decisions about what we will have room for and what will need a new home so it makes sense to make a start on this process while we have the time and plenty of space.

Fancy another, alternative day to visit the Shed?

Another way of making best use of space is to use it more often.  Tuesday and Thursday are our customary Shed Days but, providing we don’t disturb the neighbours, we do have free use of the buildings at any time.  Is there an appetite for another opening day?  There will be practicalities to consider but do sign-up on the Shed notice board if you support the idea or have preferred time/day.

Back on the road again!

On a personal note, the close of 2024 did mark a bit of a landmark in my Shed Life.  In 2016 I embarked on my own long-term retirement project – an Austin A30 that had spent the last ten or more years buried in a Hampshire garden.  The car was, in reality, beyond repair but when the old logbook showed that we were the same age and even shared the same birthday then repair became the only option!  Winslow Shedders made me welcome and I trailered it here in January 2017.  

Just in time for Christmas last year I was able to drive it home under its own steam (just like Chris Rea) and celebrate with a few joy rides for my long-suffering family.  Having out-lived 5 British Prime Ministers, a Global pandemic, our longest reigning Monarch - and a lettuce, I think I can justify the ‘long-term project’ status!

I can’t promise more joy rides but we hope to see you soon!

Cheers Tim