Jarrow community woodworking group seeks new members

Tyneside Community Wood Shed currently has 14 members and is based at Perth Green Community Association in Inverness Road, Jarrow.

The group used to be called Men In Sheds, but has changed its name to attract more members – including women. It is still affiliated to the national Men In Sheds Association (UKMSA Men’s Sheds).

Member Dave O’Doherty said: “We have a really well equipped woodwork workshop at Perth Green and our members find the group is a great way to get out of the house, make new friends and do something constructive.

Dave O'Doherty says Tyneside Community Wood Shed is a great way to make new friends (Image: THE CULTURAL SPRING)

“It’s ideal to keep active and busy – one of our members was recommended to join us by his doctor as a good way to combat isolation, loneliness and stress."

The group meet three times a week, between 10am and 3pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but if more members join the workshopcan be opened on other days too.

Mr O’Doherty added: “We provide training and supervision and our members are currently aged between 60 to the mid-80s, but we’d love to see younger people join us - and both men and women are invited to join us.”

Dave O’Doherty at work in the Tyneside Community Wood Shed (Image: THE CULTURAL SPRING)

Group secretary John Humble added: “There’s a real sense of fellowship and we’re very welcoming – members come from all over South Tyneside, North Tyneside and even Northumberland. We’d also love to see folk from Sunderland come along too.

“We work on our own projects, or work we’ve been commissioned to do and we’re very supportive of each other. We’ve created bird boxes, chopping boards, hedgehog houses and lots of planters.”

One project members have been busy with recently has been a commission to create ‘fairy doors’ for arts project The Cultural Spring.

Dave O’Doherty at work in the Tyneside Community Wood Shed (Image: THE CULTURAL SPRING)

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The doors were a key element of an audio trail created throughout North Marine Park, in South Shields, by Hive Storytellers, part of The Cultural Spring’s commission from South Tyneside Council to help deliver this year’s Winter Festival Parade.

The group will be part of The Cultural Spring’s next programme of activities when it delivers workshops from its Perth Green base, starting in January.

More details will be available on The Cultural Spring’s website – www.theculturalspring.org.uk Membership of Tyneside Community Wood Shed costs £25 a month and for more information, call John Humble on 0771 3563094.