Slowly assembling the Shed....

Hywel, Rick, Jim   and Saleem get stuck in to assembling the bike storage metal shed

     

                        

Terry contemplating where the rain shelter might go

Wayne who just lives across the road came in with a bike for us to have

This is where the bike stand will go on the right

      

                         .........and on the left

Meanwhile Bob is still working on the mud kitchen for the nursery

DIY Course and other news

DIY Course and other issues    

We plan to run two more DIY courses with more emphasis on practical skills and projects. Agreed that it would be worthwhile holding a one day DIT workshop focusing on renovating, upcycling and decorating furniture. If we can promote and organize it quickly enough we could aim for a course on a half term Saturday and one in the New Year

The idea came from Helen who was on the first DIY course and specialises in furniture art and decoration. She has a Facebook page  ‘Nothing New Originals’  Here is an example of her work

The idea would be that people would bring in one small piece of furniture (eg chair, small set of drawers) Be useful if we had someone with expertise in upholstery 

Possibility of using 2 consecutive Saturdays such as (unconfirmed)  Oct 27^th 11-2pm and  Sat Nov 3^rd 11-2pm to give time to get projects started and some way to completion

Putting up shelves

(using recycled wood from Touch Wood where possible) Both with and without shelving systems; alcoves; hollow walls

Decorating & fixing doors – preparing (sanding, filling holes in plaster, masking tape, dust sheets) and stripping, wall papering

Laminate and vinyl flooring 

making use of YouTube tutorials 

Also look at possibility of

•  a one-off DIY training session with parents and children
• Run a computer support/training programme, Use PCs. Need to cost out 7 or 8 (refurb?) PCs and Wi-Fi, plus cost of possible trainer (if feasible). Maybe also look at parent & kids session, perhaps using raspberry pi’s  for intro to programming 

Need to go ahead and get some Sheffield Bike racks to install in front of the shop. We have sought advice about doing this and it looks as if we are OK as long as we follow guidelines on sighting them and don't interfere with the disability access ramp at the Den cafe next door

Mid September Project update

Now that we have signed the lease we are finally (from Sep 3rd 2018) in charge of of our building (shop or shed, whatever you want to call it), and we need to get moving on our activities and projects, Not so easy when you have no paid workers and rely on volunteer time and enthusiasm.

It is important to note what we are able, and not able, to do. Whilst we have been doing small projects (eg fixing gates) for local residents, we cannot act as replacements for Southways, the Council or for local tradespeople, in doing major tasks for individuals

The aim is to assist people, where possible, in doing small mend, repair and construction projects, which they  bring to the shop  and engage with themselves

Here is an update on our current and planned projects

• DIY courses: a sub group will meet to discuss the scheduling and content of the 2 funded DIY courses we aim to run starting this autumn

•  Flooring & Decorating – our back room has now been laid (Hywel) and lacquered, so aim to get both rooms into workshops and begin to organise where things go (its a bit of a tip at the moment.  The Kitchen floor is being laid with remaining wood. A tool board like this one |I saw at the Moss Side Men in Sheds the other week would be a good start

• Vinyl has been purchased by Bernard and is currently half finished being laid by him &  Terry, here is what it looks like

• Painting of outside now completed, here is what it looks like (that's John in the doorway)

• Lathe: Ken Norton called in with some clamps for the lathe, he will plan a demo once he gets it working properly and then we can think of doing a workshop on how to use a lathe

• bike project

The Screwfix Apex Shed has arrived in lots of bits but
assembly not yet started. Hopefully get it done next week, Currently it look more like bits and bobs than the finished shed

•  The rain shelter

The rain shelter is intended to be an additional outside area where it will be possible to repair bikes needs to be progressed. Here are the drawings of the Chorlton Good Neighbours rain shelter we hope to copy

• Mud Kitchen

Bob to liaise with Daniella at Barlow Moor Community        Association about the best time to get started on repairing the mud kitchen in the toddlers area

• Quids In rack project 
  Steve taking the lead on this. We are helping to build wooden racks for this group. 
  Reminder ‘Quids In’ offers £15 worth of food for just £2 weekly membership and is based at 42 Merseybank Ave. It is open Friday 12pm until 4pm

Bernard Leach

NIF bid for “Greening and Youth Involvement” has been approved

The Neighbourhood Investment Fund (NIF) application entitled “Greening and Youth Involvement” has been approved

This project, will be to design and construct 10 planters/raised beds on spare land, owned by the Council, on the corner of Whiteholme Ave and Merseybank Road. 

The corner of Whiteholme Ave, without raised beds and with them (artist's impression - ha!)

We will be doing this project in collaboration with the BarlowMoor Community Association (BMCA) Groundwork Youth MSSTT (Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford)  13+ programme. This will provide the young people with useful constructional and horticultural skills and provide a sense of ownership of the end product which we hope will help overcome any possibility of vandalism

We aim to source the wood for the project from TreeStation which is a local social enterprise  in arborculture and wood supplies

Top coat of paint and lots of chat

It was another good day at the shop. Painting continued on the front of the shop, which made it easier for people to stop by and say hello and be drawn into our conversations. Maybe we should do this every week as people sometimes find it hard to cross the threshold

We all did a LOT of chatting

Terry & Saleem  get started on the top coat 

So as well as the painters (Bernard, Terry, Ron & Saleem), 

- Bob was in sorting out the mud kitchen project, 

- John was in & hoping for the delivery of the Apex Shed (it didn't come - perhaps tomorrow). 

John on the phone

- Then a guy from across the road  came with a chest drawer that needed re-glueing and clamping (Bob did it); then

- Lance, who runs a bespoke furniture, joinery and restoration business in Chorlton, was on his bike hoping to visit a friend in the coffee shop, the Den next door (they were closed). Instead he had a long chat with us about the bike repair project we are hoping to launch soon

- Jamie who had been on a DIY course with us came in with some wood he needed re-fixing too and stayed awhile; then 

- Elsie in her mobility scooter stayed and had a chat and with her friend made comments about our painting & choice of colours;  then 

- Dave  who had been referred to us from BMCA & lived close by came to see if he might get involved & stayed for a chat with David Payge, who gave him and others a tour of the house & back yard. Then 

- Graham from the project next door (Early Essentials) had a chat and bought several of us coffees from MacDonalds

.....a  good day in all

Bernard