(Now registered as our official name with the UK Men’s Shed Association)
It is a few months since we have written to you all and you must be wondering what is happening, but I did say to you in my last email that things would go quiet for a while but herewith a little update. Believe it or not behind the scenes we have been beavering away and have been recognised by the Charity Commission and have the all important Charity Commission number without which you cannot fundraise. We have therefore received a Constitution to work by.
Our Shedquarters Committee have sorted themselves out with Kathy Tarrant, Treasurer, Health & Safety & Minute Sec.: Malcolm Cooper-Smith, Hon. Secretary, Insurance, Legal: Sue Abbott PR & Marketing: Richard McQuillan, Fundraising Co-ordinator and as the whole idea came from me, I am the Chair which at the moment I only anticipate doing for a couple of years.
We are in the long, long process of almost having set up a bank account with NatWest as apparently there are banks not keen on having charity accounts. We are delighted to have been granted £400 by Chiltern Edge Community Association which I believe has some links with Johnson Matthey and one of our keen supporters of the project, Richard Martin, his wife Aly has collected £250 from plant sales which she wishes to donate to us. Also, Barbara Perez, who was a Co-ordinator for FISH and long-time Sonning Common resident gave us a 4.5 litre bottle of tawny port from the Douro Valley in Portugal, which was bought by our Fundraising Co-ordinator, Richard for £100. On top of this our Hon. Sec. Malcolm Cooper-Smith will donate £1,500 and I myself am adding £1,500 to this to get the project started.
I had a Coffee Morning with four possible day leaders for the project which was very positive, and we went to our plot at Peppard War Memorial Hall (PWMH) to have a photo taken which has been put on to the beginnings of our new website set up with thanks to Kathy’s daughter Emily which will be added to gradually. I will let you know when the website goes live. We will in due course need an overall Leader to take charge of the building and several Day Leaders to ensure, safety, security, etc. etc.
I had a meeting with the Chairman (Clive Mills) and Treasurer (Brian Cresswell) of Peppard War Memorial Hall and an annual rent of £100 was agreed for the plot on a 25 year lease. This will of course be incorporated into a legal document eventually as our landlords for the site and we as tenants will purchase a suitable portacabin or wooden building of which Richard Martin has produced a scaled drawing and costed but the cost of materials has escalated of late. The legal costs for this generous offer will be met by Shedquarters as will any costs for Planning Permission with SODC.
On Thursday of last week, the Green Gym headed by Dr John Hasler set out clearing the ground for us, but it will need a tractor on it to level out the uneven ground eventually and we are most grateful them for the hard work they put into this.
I feel that is about as much information as I can give you are the moment to keep you all in the loop but please feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions and we will send a further update in the coming months.
Sheila Maughan
Chair, SHEDQUARTERS