projects
We are always happy to take commissions - both making, mending and installing - at affordable prices. These project profiles give you an idea of the sorts of jobs we’ve undertaken in the past 12 months, but do contact us for a chat if you think we might be able to help meet your needs.
BICYCLE REPAIR STAND AND PUMP INSTALLATION - STANDALONE FARM
Standalone Farm, where our Men’s Shed is based, is just off The Greenway – a popular 13-mile cycling circuit around Letchworth. Thirsty and tyred cyclists (see what we did there?) can stop for refreshments at the nearby farm café. Now they can also revitalise their bikes, as we’ve installed a repair stand and pump alongside bike racks in readiness for the summer season. We are happy to help our hosts promote outdoor activity and sustainable travel.
GARDEN EASEL - PRIVATE COMMISSION
No – we’d never knew that a garden easel was ‘a thing’ until we were commissioned to make one! The photo on the left was the model we had to go on, the picture on the right shows the finished product, now installed in a garden in Stroud. The use of eco-friendly materials (braches for the tripod, reclaimed timber for the frame, and rope for the joints) makes this a particularly satisfying creation which will look even more attractive when growing plants create a 3-D work of art to fill the frame.
MUD KITCHEN - RAINBOWS END PRESCHOOL STEVENAGE
At the Men’s Shed we love to play (when not sorting out the world’s problems over a cup of tea). We also love anything that encourages young people to get active and creative in the fresh air. So, when we were asked to make a mud kitchen for a local pre-school, we were delighted to help out. In fact, one of our members was so keen that, armed with only a photo from the school, he’d started making the play kitchen before we’d even got a project plan together! We think the result is lovely and, more importantly, so do the pre-school.
FARM SHOP ASSEMBLY - STANDALONE FARM
We’re pleased to be part of our host’s plans for expanding their visitor attraction. A team of Shed members put in many hours to build and paint a flat-pack kiosk that will be used to display and sell locally-sourced farm produce and, we are told, some of the items we make in our workshop. As is traditional with flat-pack assembly, the plans we were sent were wrong, the finished product was different from the publicity photo, and we made some modifications to meet the needs of Standalone Farm staff. These may sound like excuses, but we think all the head-scratching was worthwhile.
BARN OWL BOXES - FARMING & WILDLIFE ADVISORY GROUP (FWAG)
This commission from FWAG East to build five owl boxes for their East Anglian River Beane Farm Cluster was shared with our friends at the Colchester Men’s Shed who also made five. You’ll see from the photos that each box is quite big, so much of the work was done by a dedicated team when our Shed was officially closed. Barn Owls provide natural rodent control, supporting farmers and promoting biodiversity in the region. FWAG East think the boxes are ‘solid and well-made’; we now want to know what the Barn Owls think of them!
The Shed team are happy to take commissions for all sorts of wildlife boxes (we have a resident hedgehog expert).
CAFE KIOSK SHELVING - STANDALONE FARM
True to the Men’s Shed spirit, we went the extra mile with this job. Making the best use of available wall space, two members tripled the shelf space, then fixed some new flooring, and added additional hardware to increase the security of the cafe. Over Easter, we’ve been pleased to see the new shelves in use and have been asked back to fit an external shelf before the summer rush. Happy to help.
RUBBISH BIN REFURBISHMENT - STANDALONE FARM
Discarded litter is a real hazard both for the farm animals onsite at Standalone Farm and the wildlife in the surrounding field and trees, and it’s not too pleasant for farm visitors either. The 14 litter bins around the public areas were looking a bit sad and unloved, so our members not only replaced inserts to stop litter escaping, but also gave each bin a makeover with weatherproof paint. Given our climate, this will probably become an annual job.
SANDPIT STORAGE REPAIRS - STANDALONE FARM
The storage units in question are located near the sand play area, which partly explains the problem. The weather-worn wooden trunks were suffering from wind-blown sand – which was also preventing the hinges from working properly and putting a strain on the sides. It was quickly fixed by two Shed members with a power tool and a brush!
POLYTUNNEL TIMBER CLADDING - STANDALONE FARM
As a visitor attraction, Standalone are keen to create space for ‘weather-proof’ activities – which explains their polytunnel. We were asked to create an attractive entrance at both ends of the tunnel and fit some flooring. Having done both we look forward to seeing the facility in use!
RECLAIMED TIMBER PLANTER - MCCARTHY STONE
It’s not every day we rub shoulders with ‘gardening royalty’ but that’s what happened when commissioned, at very short notice, to make a planter for the official opening of a local care home. The clock was ticking as two Shed members went the extra mile to source reclaimed materials, make the planter as specified by the home, and deliver it on time. The icing on the was seeing the trough being planted up by ‘TV gardener, broadcaster, and writer’ Alan Titchmarsh on the big day. If you look carefully, you can see a small plaque acknowledging the great work of our Shed.
TABLE TENNIS REPAIR - LETCHWORTH SPORTS AND TENNIS CLUB
Helping out in the community by repairing the tennis tables at the Letchworth Sports and Tennis Club.
POLYTUNNEL - GREEN CARE @ NORTON - STANDALONE FARM
Our team joined forces with Green Care at Norton, a local therapeutic gardening project, to build a new polytunnel at Standalone Farm. This will provide fresh, homegrown produce for their farm shop.