Linlithgow Shed are at a stage where they would like to expand and reach new groups within the community, and also offer different activities. At present they need some ideas and inspiration about how other Sheds achieve this.
The structure of the Armadale Shed gave us food for thought – they have a comprehensive handbook for their members which outlines responsibilities – we have now started to draft our own. In Armadale there is a good deal of effort expended on making items for sale to the local community – this boosts their funds but also raises their local profile and can attract new members. Finally, as a result of a devastating fire at their Shed some years ago, Armadale have now installed ventilation, dust extraction and other safety measure all in line with best practise. There was a lot in terms of their physical workshop setup that we have learnt from, and are now working on upgrading our ventilation systems to better protect our space and our members.
Learning Outcomes
- Structure of the Shed in terms of roles and responsibilities – how formal are these? How is monitoring achieved?
- Engaging with local communities – which audiences are catered to and which are hard to reach? What are the most successful ways of engaging local people?
- Practical and health and safety examples of layout, equipment etc. Linlithgow Shed has grown gradually and organically, mostly using donated tools. We’re excited to learn from an example of a Shed that has built itself up intentionally.