Before Covid I met up with Jonny Wood (Community Action Suffolk) and Andrew Caldecott (interested Bury St Edmunds resident). We discussed the fact Bury St Edmunds has a population of over 40,000 people – but no Shed (that was known to me as an Ambassador for West Suffolk). We discussed the way forward and where to start. July 2021 a press release was created and sent to many papers and magazines. Andrew even got a slot on local radio. We set a date for a public meeting and were lucky to secure, free of charge, a meeting room in the famous local Cathedral. Twenty five people attended to listen to presentations about the concepts and benefits of Sheds. People left the meeting enthused. Unfortunately, rates of Covid were on the rise again and we could only meet via zoom.
On the 9th February 2022 we were able to meet face to face again. Andrew called the Chairman of the Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club to arrange a meeting with Andrew, Jonny and I. The Chairman agreed to allow us to meet at the Rugby Club every two weeks, hot drinks provided, and free of charge. We believed we had fallen on our feet.
We are still meeting every two weeks. We now have a committee, consisting of Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. The Shed now exists!
We organised a Shed outing to Stowmarket Shed on Wednesday 16th March. The group were made very welcome and were pleased to see such a successful organisation. We have since visited Halesworth Men’s Shed, and if there’s any offers of invites, please let us know (alan.page@ukmsa.org.uk).
Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club have offered us a home with the potential of a container to work from. We are hopeful this will work out well for all concerned.
We still feel the need to advertise ourselves more and we are currently creating flyers to give out in the Market Place and at local fairs. Our next meeting on 18th May will be a social event at the Rugby Club and one of the Shed members will give a presentation of his hobby.
I am an Ambassador because I am passionate about the cause and that is what keeps me attending the meetings every two weeks. It’s a privilege to be in a position with knowledge to help and support the group, knowing it will be a success. I have always said; the Shed at Bury St Edmunds will be a great Shed with many members. The three of us will look back with pride.
I continue to meet some great people in my role as an Ambassador.
– Alan Page, Ambassador for Suffolk & Stowmarket Meadlands Men’s Shed