Landmarc has used its Community Fund to donate a range of tools to the new Leyburn & District Community Shed in North Yorkshire. The tools were presented by the team at Wathgill Camp in the North, represented by Sandra Oldfield, Training Area & Facilities Supervisor and Simon Wakefield, Training Area Operative.
Pictured above: Sandra Oldfield, Training Area & Facilities Supervisor and Simon Wakefield, Training Area Operative present tools to Leyburn & District Community Shed.
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY SHED?
Community Sheds are based on the ‘Men’s Shed’ concept offering places where like-minded people can meet and share their worries. They are about having fun, sharing skills and knowledge and gaining a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. As a by-product of all of that they reduce isolation and feelings of loneliness, allowing members to deal with mental health challenges more easily and remain independent; they help to rebuild communities and in many cases, they save lives.
NEW WORKSHOPS AND CRAFTING FACILITIES
The Leyburn & District Community Shed is a new initiative, recently created to offer workshops and crafting facilities to anyone aged 18 or over in the local area. It forms part of the Leyburn Arts and Community Centre, built using three 40ft shipping containers converted to offer a large space, mainly for woodworking, and a slightly smaller space for other crafting and computer activities.
Whilst the building was part-funded by a grant from Richmondshire District Council, the project has also relied on donations from other organisations, with all the internal work completed by unpaid volunteers. Landmarc was keen to support the initiative and following a request from the project team for help with tools and equipment, we were able to donate a range of items from their wish list including sanders, screwdrivers, chisels, clamps and drills.
Julian Pinches, Project Director at the Leyburn Community Shed said, “It’s brilliant that Landmarc has given us such much needed support for this community project. The tools provided will help us to expand the activities we can offer and allow us to develop the woodworking side of the community shed. We have relied heavily on some quite old, donated tools so far, so your kind donation is a major upgrade for us, and is very much appreciated by all of our members. Landmarc’s ongoing support will allow us to plan a range of future community projects and play a significant role in ensuring this project’s success.”
Sandra Oldfield, Training Area and Facilities Supervisor at Landmarc added, “We were delighted to get the opportunity to support the Leyburn & District Community Shed and really enjoyed our recent visit to pass on our donation and meet the team. The ‘Shed’ only opened in January after five years of planning and securing funding for the build; we look forward to watching it grow as a much valued learning and creative hub for everyone to use.”
