Inspiring charity wants to welcome more members

A 'little-known' charity is keen to welcome more members.

Beverley Men in Sheds is a charity that was founded to help combat loneliness within the community. Based at Woodmansey Garden Centre, all are welcome to join the 'Shedders', who meet between 9.30am - 2pm Monday to Friday to enjoy a coffee, chat and engage in some carpentry.

The group have worked on some impressive community projects over the last few months. Recently, they've been crafting wig stands which have been donated to the the Oncology Unit at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull to support cancer patients.

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They've also created an impressive Noah’s Ark with accompanying animals, wooden egg cups, and coasters. These creations are sold at exhibitions across the East Riding to raise funds for the upkeep of their facilities and the materials needed for their woodwork.

However, despite these successes, Beverley Men in Sheds remains little-known outside of the Woodmansey area. The group are keen to welcome more people from across Beverley and the surrounding areas who want to meet new people and use their creative skills to craft some brilliant creations for the community to enjoy.

Graham Stuart, Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, recently visited the dedicated team at Beverley Men in Sheds. During his visit, he was shown around the adjoining garden space which is a non-profit community garden. Running since 2016, volunteer Patricia guiding Mr Stuart through the green space, showing their plans to create a large dry bed for volunteers to tend, and to build a kitchen for teaching purposes.

He also read heartfelt poems from families affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, collated by local artist Robert Fowler, and saw a range of impressive sculptures crafted using reclaimed wood.

Graham Stuart said: “I was delighted to return to visit Beverley Men in Sheds and see the incredible work being done by this dedicated group. Their space is a vibrant hub of artistic expression, charitable activities, and community support.

“They have done amazing work to grow the group since I last visited in 2020 and I can’t wait to see what they do next.”

Kevin Sheehan, Secretary of Beverley Men In Sheds, commented: “We were delighted to welcome Graham back to our Shed at Oldroyd's Corner Yorkshire CIC, to meet our Shed members and showcase their craftsmanship. We truly appreciate his support, and are delighted that he shares our vision to open up our group to as many as possible.”

Beverley Men in Sheds is a self-sufficient charity which relies on generous public donations. They have been one of the ‘Blue Coin’ charities at the Tesco branch in Beverley, and they hope to use the funds raised to repair their leaking roof. Additionally, they have received donations of excess wood from a local carpentry business, which they have used to renovate part of their greenhouse.

For more information or to support Beverley Men in Sheds, please visit them at Beverley Men in Sheds, Oldroyd's Corner, Woodmansey Garden Centre, Hull Road, HU17 0RS.