Wendover Shed to pitch at Angels’ Den

Shedders working and watching, with cake always near to hand.

Wendover Shed is one of the organisations shortlisted to appear at Angels’ Den, a way for charities in Buckinghamshire to bid for funding that is organised by the Clare Foundation. On 10 September, eight Buckinghamshire charities will present a two-minute pitch to six “Angels” for a share of £120,000. Each of the angels has contributed £10,000 to the pot and The Clare Foundation has matched the funding with its own £60,000.

The event will be held at the Elgiva Theatre in Chesham, with Nathan Cooper from Bucks Radio acting as MC. After each charity has pitched, and the Angels have deliberated, they will announce how much each organisation will benefit. Every charity involved will be given a grant of some level.

The Clare Foundation is a charity that brings together stakeholders, partners, businesses and charitable organisations “to facilitate and create positive change across society in Buckinghamshire.” See: www.theclarefoundation.org.

Bob Duggan, chairman of Wendover Shed, said: “My reaction to the shortlisting of Wendover Shed for Angels’ Den 2025 was one of excitement and unbridled joy – that Wendover Shed and all involved were being rewarded for the huge amount of effort that they have expended to date.

“My focus now is to look forward, with the community that supports us, to ensure that we improve and are sustainable for the future. There is a huge need and will continue to be a huge need for the services that Wendover Shed provides to the community.”

Wendover Shed opened in 2023 as a co-operative resource shared for many local men (and several women), where they can meet around practical activities, drink tea and coffee, eat cake and biscuits, and importantly, have a chat.

There are now more than 60 members and the shed is open for a couple of hours each on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There are plans to expand the site with extra working spaces soon.

It’s a place to make new friends, use tools you may not have, ask questions from people with a wide range of experiences, and maybe learn that skill you have been meaning to get round to. Underpinning that is the largely unspoken but vital social function that aims to provide a focus and a meeting place for people who may not have many points of contact with other people in their everyday life.

Details: www.wendovershed.org.uk.