By Chevon Edwards, St Martins Community Centre Project Manager
St Martin’s Shed in Lambeth, South London was founded during December 2024 by four local residents and the Community Centre’s Project Manager. We all recognised the importance of a dedicated space where men (and women) could come together and put their hands to something, a Men’s Shed space fitted the bill perfectly.
We were soon approached by our local community garden group who were facing ongoing issues with a lack of quality seating and benches being stolen. Through UKMSA’s ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ initiative, we were connected to Diageo employees, who volunteered their time helping us build two new benches. With their enthusiasm and skill, we now have one complete bench ready to be installed and a second well on its way.
Our connection didn’t end there. We were invited to Diageo’s volunteering panel to share our experiences, standing alongside inspiring international charities and reflecting on the real value of people giving their time to support others. We’ve now begun building a relationship with a neighboring men’s wellbeing group, exploring how our shared aims can align and grow together.
As we’ve grown, we’ve made it a priority to learn from others. Visiting different Sheds has been a key part of that journey, hearing how they started and where they are now. Using the ‘London Shed network’ group we have connected with and visited Rotherhithe Shed, described by one of our members as the “Rolls Royce” of Sheds as well as Camden andEnfield Sheds. These visits have helped shape our thinking and given us confidence in the direction we’re heading.
Meeting recently with Enfield, who use a shipping container as a workshop, has proved especially useful. Lots of shared learning, chats, tool and container talk, backed up by the latest UKMSA resource (A Guide to using a Container as a workshop) has given us lots of ideas as to how we can create a similar space for ourselves.
In our early days, we focused mainly on group projects to bond and build skills, creating our sign, reinforcing our Shed, and completing our first bench. But a simple question from Camden Shed, “What would you like to make?” shifted something for us. We’re now beginning to support more individual projects, with members upcycling furniture, building tool stations and starting woodwork pieces like wooden boxes, often the perfect starting point.
Now, we’re looking ahead. We know that growth takes time, and while we’ve had strong interest and curious passers-by, retaining members has been a challenge without a permanent, visible space. ‘London Shed Network’ has provided us with a source of new tools to really get things moving. Our next step is securing a steel container that we can convert into a workshop. It feels like a key moment in our journey, one that will help us fully establish St Martin’s Shed as a lasting space where Lambeth Shedders can come, connect and create together.
