The Shed at Collingham builds extension and offers new activities thanks to Rural England Prosperity Fund grant

A growing community group has expanded even further with new activities and increased space.

The Shed at Collingham has benefitted from £67,500 of funding through the Rural England Prosperity Fund, to enable it to provide a more inclusive offering for the community.

The Shed is designed to bring together like-minded people, combat social isolation and promote wellbeing, by providing a space where members can share skills, build friendships, and stay social through participation in woodwork, glass and metal working activities.

Miles Harriman, chairman at The Shed, said: “Many existing members joined The Shed since retiring to maintain a sense of achievement and establish new ‘work’ colleagues. This has had a massive positive impact on their physical and mental health, supporting residents otherwise at risk of social exclusion.

“For other members that may have lost a loved one through bereavement, maintaining that feeling that others are relying on you to turn up at The Shed to complete a task, can provide a reason to get up in the morning.

“The Shed also supports people out of the workforce for some time, for example, due to extended maternity / paternity leave while the children grow up, and the Shed re-establishes self-confidence and social skills required to re-enter the workplace.”

The funding received by the charity, which was distributed by Newark and Sherwood District Council, was used to build an extension to accommodate more resident volunteers as well as offer new activities — including jewellery making, lathe work, copper and brass ornament work, pyrography, stained glass activities and small scale sheet metal fabrication — some of which can be done sitting down.

The grant also supported the purchase of essential equipment.

Matt Lamb, director for planning and growth at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The group recognised that not everyone in its community was able to access the opportunities available through The Shed, and the charity is now able to diversify its offering to become a more inclusive place for everyone.

“The Shed is a fantastic example of a successful initiative for people living in our more rural areas, giving people of all ages the ability to learn and share creative skills and hobbies while tackling social isolation. We are pleased to have been able to provide rural funding to help this valuable community asset grow and diversify.”

Collingham and District Sheds was established more than ten years ago and became a registered charity in 2020.

Based at Gusto House, it is open to all genders, and attendees can undertake work of their choosing or contribute their skills and time to projects of benefit to the community. It also currently supports more than 50 residents to access skills and wellbeing support through volunteering.