LOCAL community groups across the UK are being encouraged to apply for a share of the Sheds Grant Fund as it opens again for applications to help support the set-up of community Shed spaces.

Sheds are community workshop spaces where people come together to take part in practical skills and activities.

They are designed and run by their members and provide opportunities for people to share tools, resources and skills in order to create, learn and develop social networks.

Older people’s charity Royal Voluntary Service, with funding from the Asda Foundation, run the Sheds Grant Fund to provide small scale funding to Sheds who are looking for help with either set up or next stage development costs.

Jo Phillips, Sheds Project Manager at Royal Voluntary Service said: “Each Shed is unique due to its location and the activities that the members want to undertake in the space.

“Whether it is for woodworking, gardening, model making, weaving or electronics, we are delighted to be able to give a helping hand to local communities who want to get a community-based Shed up-and-running.”

Julie Ward, Manager of the Asda Foundation said: “The Asda Foundation is one of the many ways we can give something back to our local communities. That’s why we lend a hand to a wide range of good causes with which our colleagues are involved with, sharing their passion and helping to make a difference through a variety of projects across the UK.

“We see the Sheds programme as making a real difference at a grassroots level and are proud to support this initiative.”

The UK Shed movement follows a blueprint from an Australian project and since the first Men’s Shed opened in the UK seven years ago, there are now nearly 400 across the UK opening their doors.

Many Sheds are created to enable older men to come together and work on either individual or community projects – but the movement is increasingly seeing younger men and women getting involved and benefitting from the social interaction and practical skill sharing that are at their heart. 

The Sheds Grant Fund is ran in conjunction with the four national Shed Associations representing and supporting Sheds in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Jason Schroeder, Executive Officer of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association said: “We are thrilled that by working together with our national partners we can support this kind of initiative to help benefit individuals, their families, and local communities.”

During 2016, 29 Sheds were awarded funding to kick start or grow their ambitions.

Richard White of Ferryside Men’s Sheds Association said: “The grant went a big way to help install our new electricity supply.”

Ivor Anderson, Chair of The Aldridge Shed in Walsall said: “The grant was used in the main for the purchase of hand and power tools.  It is very encouraging for us to receive help from a fund that is sympathetic to the work we plan to do.”

Dan Gmaj, Chairman of The Westbury Shed added: “The voluntary sector simply could not develop community projects like ours without the support of targeted funding such as the RVS / Asda Foundation grant. We try to bring a little joy into the lives of  others and by default to our own lives too. Making Sheds work is time consuming, occasionally frustrating but usually great fun and rewarding for all involved!”

Grants of between £250 and £1,000 are available from the Sheds Grant Fund. All applications need to come from constituted, volunteer led community groups and must be submitted by the deadline of Sunday, March 5 to be considered.

To find out more about Royal Voluntary Service and Asda Foundation Sheds Grant Fund and download the Application Form and Guidance Notes, please visit: http://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/sheds and follow @rvssheds on Twitter for regular updates.

Alan Quick