Shed update …

There’s plenty been happening at Blackburn and Kinellar Men’s Shed and beyond these past few weeks, with new visitors, exciting upcycling projects, generous donations and some refining improvements to our workshop area. 

Last month a team of Shedders took a table at the Kinellar Gala held at the Community Hall.  With a slide show illustrating the development of our workshop facilities and outdoor activities, as well as brochures and some examples of articles produced on the Shed’s laser engraver, they enjoyed quite a bit of interest and may even have attracted potential new members.

Since then, activities have focussed on getting workshop benches properly kitted out by fixing into position the range of donated and acquired tools we have, including a wood lathe, bench drill, bench grinders, crosscut saw and fret saw. Wall panels bearing humorous but thought-provoking safety messages and other information have been set up, so the place is beginning to look like it means business.

Just recently, we were delighted to welcome Brian McWilliam, the new Scottish Men’s Shed’s Association (SMSA) East Coast Development Officer, to the Shed. Brian spent the morning with us discussing a wide range of Shed-related topics and opportunities for the future.

One interesting possibility is a Men’s Health Roadshow, which Brian is offering to bring to the Shed in the near future. The session would cover a range of health and wellbeing topics particularly relevant to “men of a certain age” and is likely to be arranged as an evening event. More details will follow once plans are confirmed.

A bit of furniture upcycling

Under an arrangement with the Salvation Army, we have received three pieces of furniture for upcycling before resale through their Auchmill Road shop. There’s an old extending dining table, a vintage sideboard and a sturdy chest of drawers, all well-made and worth preserving. Materials have been gathered to tackle all three items.

It’s now down to the artistic talents of our Shedders to clean, prime and repaint using modern, stylish colours to give the furniture a fresh lease of life. As the Shed will receive a share of resale proceeds, the project has the potential not only to cover its own costs but to generate some income for future activities.

Gardening gear collection grows…

We have also benefited from the generosity of Groundworks Scotland in Muir of Kinellar, with a donation of several items of used equipment for either Shed use or refurbishment and reuse. They include an Einhell petrol lawn mower, a Bosch pressure washer, a Ryobi corded strimmer and a corded leaf blower.  These join a petrol strimmer and chainsaw also recently kindly donated by another local resident.

Since the Shed seems to be building up a substantial stock of garden equipment that can be refurbiShed and offered to the community for a suitable donation to Shed funds, we are contemplating having a Saturday morning open day sometime in the coming months to showcase some of these items and other works. Anyone who enjoys a bit of cleaning, repairing or tinkering is welcome to get involved.

Wi-Fi Now Available

Good news for our digitally minded Shedders: Wi‑Fi is now available in the Shed and a dedicated guest network set up, allowing members to browse the internet using either the Shed’s laptops or their own devices – another useful addition to our growing facilities.

And the workshop now boasts a comfortable social and coffee corner, giving members a warm and welcoming place to sit, chat and enjoy a cuppa. Whether you’re working on a project or simply dropping in for company and conversation, there’s now an even better space to relax and catch up with fellow Shedders.

The Shed continues to grow thanks to the enthusiasm of members, support from local organisations and the generosity of our community. Exciting times ahead!