Bob’s Summer Blog

In the beginning!! There was a shed – and it was very cold. Now we have a warm space

I thought the picture above might keep you cool! What a summer it’s been! 

After a rather gloomy spell, the heatwave finally arrived in full force — and almost all our most memorable moments over the last few months have taken place under scorching blue skies. It’s been busy, hot, and brilliant. Here is a look back at what we’ve been up to!

Lady Howe’s Visit & The Shed Opening

Back in May, our dear friend Lady Howe officially opened the nearly-completed Den. She delivered a fantastic speech praising the Shed, spent plenty of time chatting with guests and Shedders, and was officially made an honorary Shedder (complete with her very own Polo shirt!).

Lady Howe returned shortly after with patrons from Heart of Bucks for an informal tour. We’re thrilled to share that this led to a private donation of £2,500 for our car park project! Combined with a previous £500 contribution, we now have the green light to get the car park work underway very soon.

Out and About in the Community

Marsworth Steam Fair

We returned to the Marsworth Steam Fair for our second year, primarily to raise awareness about the Men’s Shed movement. We brought along a selection of our handmade items and raised just over £150.

A big shoutout to Lester for managing logistics and hauling all the gear back and forth. It was a true team effort, though we could always use a few extra hands for events like this!

Manor Waste Market Stall

We also set up shop at the monthly Manor Waste market, organised by the parish council:

Made just under £200 in sales.

Connected with our local MP, parish councillors, and familiar community faces.

Welcomed 3 or 4 potential new members to the Shed!

Huge thanks again to Lester and the crew for wrestling with the gazebo set-up and takedown.

Hogfest

Good Tunes, Great Food & Scorching Heat

Hogfest was our biggest undertaking yet! Unlike other events, this wasn't about fundraising—it was purely about kicking back and having fun.The main stage saw the debut of our very own Shed band, “Dark Side of the Shed” (featuring Shedders Millie, Keith, and Bruce, alongside their friends Ian and lead singer, Dusty).Note: Dusty is looking for a few backup singers to join the crew for future gigs, so don't be shy! [Hot off the press - One of our potential new shedders is a guy who plays Sax!]

We were also treated to fantastic sets from Robin Boult’s blues band (Stuart Maxwell's Blues Raiders), John Napier, and Nick Gurney’s band (The Spokes). The extreme heat kept a few folks away or resting in the shade, but the spirit was unstoppable.

Food & Gratitude:-

Steve: A big well done for standing over a scorching BBQ in that heat (and then doing it all over again for our second BBQ a week or so later!).

Mary & The Food Crew: Thank you to everyone who brought dish contributions. A special mention goes to Mary for the meringues—they are always a winner in my book!

Teamwork & Projects

Tring Town Council Shields

Sam (deputy clerk) and the clerk from Tring Town Council dropped by to check on the progress of 230 wooden hearts needed for their upcoming fete.

It was a massive assembly line effort:

Perry's Commercial supplied the timber.

Richard Hearn cut out the 230 heart shapes.

Lester & Derek put in immense effort attaching the sticks and stakes.

Nigel collected the finished batch right on schedule.

The fete went off apparently without a hitch, and the council promised a very generous donation to Shed funds in return for the quick turnaround! [Now received with even more thanks]

Walkways, Bug Hotels & Endless Tea

Thanks to Galliford Try for supplying materials, we now have a brand-new decking walkway and proper steps leading up to the storage sheds, built by our talented Shedders.

Alongside these big projects, everyday life at the Shed carries on:

Make & Mend: Building bug hotels, restoring tired garden benches, and tackling small 

repairs.

Finally – a big Thank You

A huge thank you to all our Shedders, sponsors, Parish and Town council partners, and community supporters. Your time, donations, and good humour keep this place running. Enjoy the rest of the sunshine, and stay tuned for more summer updates!