Chichester Men’s Shed celebrates new grant funding

Chichester District Council has awarded Chichester Men’s Shed £20,000 under the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity/rural England Prosperity Fund, part of the Levelling Up initiative.

This grant, together with a similar amount from the National Lottery Community Fund, will allow the Men’s Shed to complete the development and equipment of its premises on the Fishbourne Playing Field.

The former cricket pavilion (The Cuckoo Shed) will provide a warm and welcoming social space for tea, chat and clean and quiet pursuits like painting and crafts. Two workshops will provide space, tools and equipment for woodworking, metal working, electrics and electronics and such other activities as the Shedders determine.

Members (aka “Shedders”) will use their skills and experience to make and mend things for the benefit of the community and the Shed and will pursue existing and new hobbies. Experienced and knowledgeable members will gladly pass on their skills to others. Bird boxes and bat boxes have been made and sold for Shed funds.

The Cuckoo Shed is already in use and the Magpie

Shed (smaller of the two new sheds) is nearing completion. The grants received have enabled the purchase of materials and a group of dedicated Shedders has provided labour for everything apart from groundworks and erection of the new sheds. The larger new shed will be known as the Swallow Shed, hence CMS.

Membership of Chichester Men’s Shed has trebled in a year and Shedders are feeling the benefits that a Shed can provide in terms of companionship and a sense of purpose.

One Shedder feeling lost following bereavement said: “The Shed has changed my life”, while another added “It’s nice to feel useful”, thus echoing the experience of Shedders everywhere. Chichester Men’s Shed is open every Monday and Thursday morning from 10am and visitors are very welcome.