Lottery funding offers new opportunities for Ellon Men's Shed
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The National Lottery Community Fund brings much needed support to groups and organisations throughout the country with over £10.3 million awarded to a total of 345 Scottish groups in its latest round of awards.
Amongst the recipients in the north-east are the Ellon Men's Shed whose chairman Andy Leonard explained more about what the support will mean to them.
He said: "Our facility on Hospital Road has been going for a number of years now and was the second to be formed in the area after the very first national one in Westhill.
"We currently have around 160 members and our numbers are still recovering from the pandemic.
"There are a core of regular attendees who come along on a weekly and daily basis depending on their interests and commitments."
The Ellon Shed offers an incredible workshop facility spread over the site, with an emphasis at present on woodworking as Andy explained: "Since we opened we've expanded our footprint on the site to include a modular unit, container based workspace and some additional sheds so that we can house our range of equipment.
"We're also looking to create a covered area so that work on larger items can take place outdoors, but still be sheltered.
"Over the summer months we've been busy doing a whole host of work refurbishing some existing benches and also making new memorial ones as well as creating items for a fairy trail that is going to be launched in October.
"Members also work on personal projects and to that end we have created space for modelling work.
"We're also looking to expand metal work, doing repairs on the likes of bicycles, lawnmowers and being able to do some small welding work as well."
Alongside the shed building sits a nicely maintained garden area, with a highly productive poly-tunnel which has become synonymous with Men's Shed groups across the north-east such as at Aberchirder and Inverurie.
With fresh tomatoes and green leaf veg, outdoors the group are also taking the first steps in planting fruit trees on site and Andy noted that there are other ideas in the works.
"We've a decent space next to the old train line and we're looking at the potential to put in a petanque rink as its popularity is growing again," he said.
The group have over the years also been the recipients of items and equipment, such a recently donated woodworking lathe, but thanks to the Lottery funding, have been able to purchase a new piece of kit that offers up new potential
Andy said: "We've had some very generous donations over the years from individuals and businesses which has seen everything from computers and desks to specialised woodworking tools, but our lottery funding of just over £7000 has allowed us to purchase a CNC router which offers a lot of new possibilities."
A CNC router can be used to produce items such as door carvings, interior and exterior decorations, wood panels, sign boards, wooden frames, moldings and even parts for musical instruments, and furniture.
CNC routers are controlled by a computer with coordinates uploaded into the machine controller from a separate program allowing designs to be produced both quickly and repeatedly with accuracy.
The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “National Lottery players can be very proud that they are helping to support groups which will help make a difference to so many.”
Visit https://www.facebook.com/ellon.shed for details on the group.
