December

Waitrose Eaton has donated £200 to our funds

Dear Mel,
Just to let you know that I have collected the cheque. I gather that the nominated charities for your Community Giving scheme are chosen by the staff at your store.
Will you please convey our ‘thank you’ to them for choosing Poringland and District Mens Shed to participate in the scheme. Our Shed has had to move twice in the three years since we set up and so we have been searching for a permanent home to enable us to put down roots and grow. I have recently learned that we have been allocated a plot of land, as part of a community project, on which we can build our very own Shed.
I am sure that your staff will be pleased to know that the cheque is going to kickstart our fundraising campaign to build that Shed and so this money will help to ensure the continuance of the Mens Shed Project for decades to come.
With very best wishes,
Henry Gowman
Chair

We have signed up to Give as you Live – an online shopping site which will help us to raise funds. For more information and to sign up follow the link. And don’t forget to encourage family and friends to do the same!

 🎄Xmas Lunch🎄

This year’s Xmas Lunch will be held at The Dove 1pm on Tuesday 19th December. There is a menu choice and list posted up at The Barn. Partners and friends are most welcome to accompany members.

An Everyday Story of Shed Folk

Been down The Barn today with Big J. he removed the clogged spark guard off the top of the chimney and I did 3 more PAT’s. Roger’s outside socket to the caravan had burnt out possibly due to rain so I have asked Pedro to go down tomorrow to have a look as the trip did not blow! Just as I was driving out I noticed one the horses ‘nose’ the field gate and it flew open. I shouted to Big J to tell Roger, grabbed a carrot and caught it and led it back to the field – they are very very big!!!! Well done you might say – but no, just as I was struggling to open the gate with one hand the horse decided it was not going in. I decided I was going to lose this tug of war so let it go. Roger got hold of it, swore at it and led it to another gate which I opened for him and the other horse bounded out! Now we have two horses galloping around the car park but finally they shot into their stables and Roger tucked them up for the night with his usual charm. Never a dull moment.

November

On Saturday 25th Arminghall & Bixley Parish councillors paid us a visit to present us with a donation for the painting of the village hall ( see below). This is their note of thanks.

Morning Henry

It was great to see where you guys ‘hang out’ yesterday. Its a real credit to you all to see the amount of work you have done to make the barn a working place for you all to meet.

Such a pleasure to at last to be able to present you with the donation cheque for the work undertaken by members of your group for the PC for repainting the outside of the Village Hall. They earned every penny.

Best wishes
Tina
Clerk for Bixley Parish Council

Aylsham Menshed paid us a visit this month. They are just starting up a new shed and came along to see what we have achieved and get some ideas. It’s great to see another shed being planned for Norfolk.

Following their visit the Aylsham shedders sent us a note of thanks.

Thanks very much for letting Simon, Ed and I come and visit you on Tuesday. We really appreciate all the information and insights into how your shed works. It has given us a lot to think about as we plan our project. Once again thank you very much.
Stuart

October

Arminghall & Bixley Village Hall Facelift

PDMenshedders recently completed the exterior painting of this local village hall as part of our commitment to support the community through our projects. To view the transformation click Arminghall & Bixley Village Hall Facelift

Fundraising courtesy of Waitrose Eaton

We are always trying to obtain funds to help pay the bills at the Shed and this month , October we are the nominated charity at Waitrose Eaton. Please encourage friends and family to support us by making a purchase or two and dropping the  green token in our bucket when using the store.

New Poringland & District Men’s Shed?

Click on this Link for an update on our future plans

Dear all,
Last evening I attended a meeting of Poringland Parish Council where the Council approved the plan for the Community Land off The Ridings – which included a large space for a new purpose built Shed for us! Hoorah!
This is a very good result – some ways to go – design/planning permission/Building Regs/getting a lease agreed/fund raising and then erecting our Shed……but all looking very positive.
Norfolk Homes have agreed to put down the floor slab, run in water and electricity. My friendly architect will draw up plans and see everything through the planning process.
I also put Mens Shed down for two allotments (as an alternative activity for guys to get involved with) which will be close to the Shed.

Henry Gowman

Silver Sunday

We are supporting this national event with an Open Day on Sunday October 8th to ‘ re-launch’ our shed in our new premises. Everyone is welcome to come  and  see our new workshop – why not bring your friends and family and whilst there enjoy a famous Sunday Lunch at The Dove who have kindly allowed us use of The Barn? Bookings not necessary. 

Please note our workshop is in The Barn which is to the rear of the Dove PH  via the gate-there is ample parking available. Please don’t park at the front.

For more information on Silver Sunday follow this Link

 

August

 

Welding Course at Norwich Men’s Shed

 

Introduction to welding at Norwich Men’s Shed

£40 for the course, women are welcome

Saturdays 10:00 – 12:00 (WITH OCCASIONAL BREAKS AS NECESSARY)

PLEASE CONTACT BILLY ON 07788961824

July

Invitation from Mary Black

Message: Hello!
We met some of you at Poringland Fete, and we think your members would be interested in the following:
Film Evening
Poringland Community Centre
showing the on-going restoration of
the only true, locked, sailing
CANAL IN NORFOLK
The North Walsham & Dilham Canal
7th October 7pm for 7.30 start
Ticket £5 (Trust members free)
includes tea, cake and free raffle!

Films, photographs, access maps, finds
Limited tickets, ring 01508 492025
or 01508 219128

Canoeing, walking, fishing, bird watching, picnicking

We would be grateful if you would let your happy band know!

GIFT AID

We have just been informed by HMRC that our application for Gift Aid has been accepted. This is great news for our financial security as we shall now be able to claim an additional 25% on donations that fall within the HMRC rules. Members will be asked to sign up to the scheme so the shed can claim on their donations.

South Norfolk on Show

In the second of three Summer Fetes shedders John and Peter aided by their good ladies promoted The Shed and our activities.

June

Claxton Fair

A team of PDMenshedders attended Claxton Fair. Bird box making and ‘Bucket Ball’ proved popular. Go to the gallery for some pictures of the event.

Men’s Shed on the Move

We will be vacating The Forge at Brooke this month. Our new shed location will be announced on these pages as soon as we have more news. UPDATE: As of July 1st we shall meet at The Barn, behind The Dove, Bungay Road, Poringland  NR14 7NB. See our Location page for more information.

May

Note of Thanks

Dear Henry and the Men’s Shed Team,

Please give our special thanks to John (I think it was?) who made the wonderful ‘raffle/tombola’ spinner for us, it has been much admired. I can see it being in demand for other events in the village too!!!

I look forward to seeing you at the Fair
Carolyn

Men’s Sheds across Scotland

The BBC have written a feature on Scottish Men’s Sheds. Click here to view.

 

April 

Norwich Men’s Shed Open Day: Saturday 29th April

Norwich Men’s Shed have an Open Day of music, taster workshops and refreshments planned . The event runs from 10-4pm

Annual General Meeting: Saturday 22nd April

Our AGM will take place at The Forge Saturday 22nd April. All members are invited.

 

Letter of thanks from Poringland Lakes: Cursor down to see the Bug Hotel

 

Weird & Wonderful Wood 2017

For more information about this event Click here

 

Recycling Videoclip

Take a look at this short video sent in by one of our PDMShedders..it’s quite amazing!

Click here

The Garden Party @ Chapelfield Gardens Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st May

We shall be accompanying Norwich Men’s Shed in the Pop Up Repair Cafe this weekend. The event runs from 12:00-18:00 hrs on each day. Take a look,at the pop up tent below. If you can assist on either day please let us know.

The Fair on the Yare Sunday 4th June

We shall be attending this event . Volunteers are needed to man the stall on the day. If you can help by giving an hour or two of your time please let us know. 

 

March 18th

The Bug Hotel

Poringland and District Men’s Shed have moved into the Hotel business!

 

 

This 5 star creation was  constructed by PDMShedder John Mallott. It will be located at Poringland Lakes.Let’s hope the bugs check in.

 

 

Spring Edition of Link magazine 

We have a full page article in this month’s Link magazine. See page 19. Henry Gowman wishes to correct an error in the article in Link Magazine. He was not the Founder but one of the founding members who attended an inaugural meeting led by Tim Ridgley whose initiative led to the formation of PDMS. The other error was our opening hours! Still, it’s a good article and has raised more interest in our Shed. Note: The digital version has now been corrected.

March 8th

Great progress has been made on the drainage trenches and a recent inspection by Building Control has been met with approval. 

Meanwhile Tim continues to dig with the hope of reaching home soil!

 

February 24th

We have become members of Voluntary Norfolk

February 18th

Today was the start of the BIG DIG to get our drainage system in place. Many thanks to all the shedders that turned up with their shovel. Work continues next Tuesday. To view the work visit the gallery

February 10th

Charitable Status Approved.

Our application to register as a charity has been approved & we have been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1171564.

January 16th

Approved!

Building control approval has been received for our proposed drainage system! This is great news and means we can proceed with the works.

 

January 10th

 

We didn’t know Dave started a competition for the oddest hat – so he won!

 

 

 

 

 

January 7th

A New Year and a new BIG BREAKFAST comes to the Brooke Cafe Saturday 7th join us at 09:30

Generous Grant Award

We have just been notified that we have been awarded a generous grant from Councillor Neal SNC . This will enable us to purchase some more tools which will be put to good use. Henry Gowman acknowledged the grant. See below.

Dear Cllr Neal,
My sincerest thanks for awarding us a generous grant.
The money will be spent on purchasing new power tools and hand tools to facilitate PDMS becoming a Recycling Cafe/Hub, as part of an initiative by SNC, to offer the possibility of household items being repaired rather than going to landfill.
This facility will be publicised and available to all residents in your ward and surrounding villages.
The tools that will be purchased include powered screwdrivers and powered saws as well as interchangeable rechargeable batteries.
We will also buy quality hand saws, chisels and craft tools and the equipment to maintain them.
Should you wish for any publicity regarding this grant, then we would be pleased to assist.

With kind regards,
Henry Gowman
Chair PDMS