Chairman’s Report 2024
Shed time is always a mixture of chat, refreshment and chipping away at a project and all three are important - but we wonder if people get the wrong idea sometimes? We were asked recently if we could make a new garden gate but our potential customer admitted to being hesitant to ask us for fear of interrupting our tea breaks. We grinned and thought ‘Bloomin’ cheek!’ but, of course, the remark was kindlymeant so we started measuring-up.
Making and mending continues to be a mainstay of what we do here but, of course, our social area and comfy chairs are every bit as important as our workshop spaces and machinery. Men are famously bad at sharing their anxieties but put that man in a shed and precious things can happen. In between nailing together more bird boxes and trying to figure out why the gearbox is still dripping oil, somehow ice does melt, concerns are discussed, friendships are forged and the world can seem a better place. Every space in Winslow Shed is a social space and every space is about helping men to keep their feet on the ground and to remain socially engaged.
Having mentioned bird boxes, I think we can report that peak demand was passed in 2023/24 – and this is concerning. We have only made a handful compared to previous years and we do worry that birds will now be resorting to hedges or even trees. If you do see this sort of thing going on then be sure to let us know or, on second thoughts, maybe just let Derek know.
We have, however, had a bumper year making things for other sections of our community. Mud kitchens were the must-have accessory last summer for North Marston, Gawcott and Tingewick Schools and our own Treehouse Pre-School felt the need for an upgrade too. It was very satisfying to provide Greener Winslow with a signboard for their new community orchard using wind-blown Winslow oak and our MK Sailability Shedders continue to maintain their fleet in the Shed during the winter months. Our biggest-ever order came in early summer from Steeple Claydon School who wanted support to revamp their library and grounds with purpose-designed furniture using only re-cycled pallet wood. In an all-hands-to-the pumps effort, we managed to complete and deliver a huge bug-hotel, three veg planters, a reading throne, bookcases, book browsers and probably several other items too. It was particularly rewarding for a few of us to be able to deliver the items in person and chat with some very excited children about books, bugs and veg growing! On a smaller scale, Mick made a particularly fine job of a tombola drum for Friends of 3W Health - although it did cause some speculation around the coffee table. We were told it was for fund-raising but we suspect it’s really part of their new system for allocating appointments. The year closed with 20 new Christmas candle holders for St. Laurence Church and Bryan’s clever ‘book baffles’ for our Community Library. This is just a snapshot of the projects we have completed over the year for community groups – Shedder’s personal projects and the jobs locals pop in and ask us to do would fill several more pages.
241231 MISW Annual Return.docx
Registered Charity 1164685
We do not ‘charge’ - as such - for any of the work we do. The cost of any materials we need to buy is passed-on but, other than that, customers are simply asked for a donation of their own choosing. For community projects we always try to find the necessary funding for materials meaning that if any gesture of thanks is felt appropriate then something baked and sugary is always welcome - e.g. the mud kitchens for Tingewick and Gawcott Schools were ‘paid for’ with Nescafe and custard creams! Colin will, of course, be giving chapter and verse in his Treasurer’s Report but, in a nutshell, we keep busy, people are generous and our overheads are low. If Colin will allow me a few back-of-an-envelope sums:
We are open 50 weeks a year, two days a week = 100 sessions Average session attendance is about 15 Average time spent at each attendance is about 3 hours 100 x 15 x 3 = 4,500 man-hours.
To put it another way, MISW provides 4,500 hours of social inclusion opportunity and support, per year, to men in our community and, in ways just outlined, we are entirely self-sufficient in providing this. We do face the significant expense of moving to new premises in the near future and we are working towards being self-sufficient in this as well. We have always known that use of the Station Road site is temporary and redevelopment for housing is inevitable – quite when, though, has always been the question. That is still the position but the planning process is starting to flicker into life and it does look like 2025 will be the year we start to formulate plans for the next phase of Shedding in Winslow.
It’s good to see so many visitors here today and If we appear to be a reasonably cheerful and well-balanced bunch of blokes then you might conclude that Winslow doesn’t really need a Men’s Shed - or you might conclude that this is because Winslow already has one.
Thank you for coming.
241231 MISW Annual Return.docx
Registered Charity 1164685
MEN IN SHEDS WINSLOW 2024 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT
| INCOME Subscriptions Session Fees Sales Donations Compensation Interest |
ACTUAL EXPENDITURE 625.00 Equipment 4,065.91 Materials 767.00 Electricity & Gas 3,478.26 Insurance 420.00 UK Men's Sheds Ass'n 449.42 Health and Safety Data Protection IT Printing/Publicity Waste/Recycling Card Processing Fees Sundries Surplus 9,805.59 |
ACTUAL 1,374.72 500.29 2,578.59 661.97 30.00 113.94 100.00 15.59 25.00 260.05 37.94 256.47 3,851.03 |
|---|---|---|
| 9,805.59 |
MEN IN SHEDS WINSLOW BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024
RESERVE FUND
| Balance Brought Forward 01 January 2024 Surplus of Income over Expenditure 2024 Balance Carried Forward Financed as under FIXED ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Teachers Building Society T S B Current Account Metro Bank Current Account Cash in Hand Sundry Debtor Less CURRENT LIABILITIES Bucks Council - waste British Gas - electricity Eon - gas |
22,000.00 1,838.39 1,431.70 61.50 99.69 15.85 284.57 24.22 |
21,255.61 3,851.03 |
|---|---|---|
| 25,106.64 | ||
| 0.00 25,431.28 324.64 |
||
| 25,106.64 |
241231 MISW Annual Return.docx
Registered Charity 1164685