In the photo, left to right are, Umberto, GLynn, Martin, Bernhard, Andrew Selous, Nigel, Mike, Richard and Tony.

The Visit by Andrew Selous MP for SW Bedfordshire to Our Shed.

Friday 17th May 2019.

Andrew Selous MP for SW Bedfordshire paid us a visit on Friday morning. He had for some time shown a keen interest in what we do at Our Shed, and wanted to know a lot more about the Men in Sheds movement and how it provides benefits for the elder men in local communities throughout the country.

For us, his visit was a golden opportunity to describe to Andrew our respective talents, skills and show him a range of the products that we make. Not forgetting the many community projects we have taken on; and to outline our future objectives to grow.

It was comforting to realise that we had a range of the nine members present who had been at the founding of the Shed back in 2016, up to our latest recruit of two weeks, who hails from Luton.

Andrew was impressed with the machine tools and other equipment we have, and then told us that in his early days he had trained as a Carpenter. Glynn immediately asked him to join us! We all laughed!

Then, as Andrew was looking at our products, he picked up a turned wooden truncheon that had been a commission job made during the week, and said that he would like to use it to ‘knock some sense’ into some of his parliamentary colleagues at Westminster! Again, we all laughed!

He praised us for the high quality of the products we had on display, especially the smooth finish and type of wood used to make the turned dibbers, which are made from cheap wooden rolling pins that we buy from a local supermarket. He was most impressed with our ingenuity!

Andrew then questioned us about our premises, and how we cope with the restricted space available. The current situation was explained, and the reasons the town council had to delay giving us the other half of the building. We made him aware that we had no problems with the town council now that further clarification of the problems they were facing whilst reorganising their resources had unfortunately caused. Projected handover for September was the month given.

In accordance with our plans to grow, and the actions agreed at the UKMSA AGM for all Sheds to lobby their respective MPs to raise the profile of the Sheds movement within parliament, it was explained to Andrew that for local issues we needed more support from both the town and county councils, especially with gaining future funding from the Section 106 Grant Aid scheme. For the broader perspective, we told him that at present we are the only proper Men’s Shed in Bedfordshire, and are only too willing to assist via the UKMSA to encourage the founding of more Men’s Sheds in towns and villages throughout the County.

Martin Young

Trustee and Chairman – Dunstable Men in Sheds.