It was the third week of July in 2019. A public meeting was held to see if there was any interest starting a Men’s Shed for Liss and District. Amazingly twenty six enthusiastic people attended, it was really something to behold! By September a committee was formed, followed by launch of the project at the village Christmas Fair in early December.
The task of fundraising began in earnest with discussions on the availability of a suitable premises. The Newman Collard Playing Field Trust were supportive in allowing the use of their pavilion for ‘drop-in’ sessions. This helped to swell membership, which now numbers over 30. Discussions with Liss Parish Council on the suitability of their largely redundant groundsman’s workshop, led to a comprehensive scheme being drawn up and submitted for planning consent on 1st July 2020.
The proposed areas will provide workshop space for a variety of projects both for work on an individual basis & for community benefit to local organisations.
The workshop scheme is calculated to cost approximately thirteen thousand pounds in materials and fees. Volunteer labour, and the lifelong skills and expertise of Shedders will help contain the overall expenditure.
The project should be completed in time to celebrate our next anniversary, and in time for an early December launch. It will be a welcome and long-awaited Christmas present to those who have supported and aided the project thus far. Approximately two thirds of our funding needs are secured, we hope the remainder will be in place by the start of works through grant applications submitted and intended!
Individually, despite Lockdown our members have continued with various projects, including planters and bird tables which are sold on our website. We are also doing, repairs to flower boxes, benches and picnic tables around the village to raise more money.
In completion is a series of educational ‘planters’ made from recycled materials for Liss Junior School. Bat boxes, squirrel picnic tables and hedgehog hotels feature in the extensive number of items being created for the time when our popular monthly Tabletop sales can be held once more in the village centre. – Brian Mayo https://www.lissmensshed.org.uk/