ounstab/ COMPAIIIONSM MENTORIAts OMMUT41TY MeK8WflFARE MMESTYFF LÈA#NSTufF DRN#T£A en In she Dunstable Men in Sheds Trustees, and Chairman's Re ort for 2024- 2025 Includin the Financial Re ort Contents: Page 2: Synopsi$. Page 3.. Sectlon I: Membershlp Page 3: Section: 2: Insurance. Prnmi$e$ & Facilities Page 4.. Sectlon 3: Health. Safety & Wellknlng Page 4.. Sectlon 4: Flnance, Fund Ralslng I Community Actlvities and Products Page 5: Section 5: Correctivo Management Actions Page 5.. Section 6: Future Plans Page 6.. Flnanclal Report: Income and Expenditure Statement 2024 - 2025
onstabl Dunstable Men in Sheds Trustees, and Chairman's Re ort for 2024- 2025. The major achievement during this period was the finalisation of our Lease agreement with Dunstable Town Council, which was signed by the Trustees in October 2024. We now have a lease for a period of 7 years at terms favourable to the Shed. As a consequence of this, we will now be responsible for paying for our consumption of electricity and water. We will not know the full implications of this until the end of the first year, but to date we have seen no need to increase members subs¢ription$. Through the year we have supported 8 local mark8ts, as well as 10 other local events. Due to changes in the locality and national changes, we have seen varied levels of income from the markets, but still continue to support them. Over the year, our average sales from these events were just under £100 perevent. At the AGM held in July 2025, David Gould ¢onfinned that he will be leaving the Shed as he is moving away from the area. Nigel Skinner also advised that, for personal reasons, he wishes to resign from his positions as Chairman, Secretary and Trustee - but remain a member of the Shed. As a result of these changes, a new management team was elected at the AGM:. Antony Kno¢k will become Chairman and a Trust88. Richard Waddington will become DepLty Chainnan and a Trustee. Andrew Bolton will become Secretary and a Trustee. Peter Farrow will take on the role of Membership Secretary in addition to continuing as Deputy Treasurer and a Trustee. Andrew Street will take on the role of Webmaster in addition to managing our training process. These ¢hange$ will be finalised following the submission of this report. Our financial report is based on the last financial year and on banking information currently available. At this time, our members, subscriptions remain at £10 per month.
So, taking April 2024 as the starting point for this report- I: Membership: 1.1: Membership Issues: We have seen some 'chum' in membership, with some members leaving due to health issues or changing circumstsnces and other new members joining. Registered membership now stands at 28 and we have workshop time available to accommodate further new members.. 1.2: Soclal Prescrfblng: We have had several contacts with local Social Services, which have resutted in some visits by prospective members, but for various reasons none have decided to Joln the Shed. 2: Insurance, Premi$•$ & Facllltles: 2.1: Insurance: The 2024125 Insurance Policy provides comprehensive cover for all current and planned activities, Public Liability Insurance (including Employee's Liability Insurance) and Trustees, indemnity. 2.2: Premlse8: There have been no significant changes to the premises in this reporting period. 2.3: Facllities". Thanks to grants that we have successfully applied for from various funding bodies, we have been able to upgrade several of our machine tools although our basic capabilities remain the same.
3: Health. Safety & Well-Ing.. 3.1: Trustses Actions: Training and recording continue in line with the improved processes that we implemented last year. 3.2: The Members General Meetlng: The AGM was held on 21st July 2025. 3.3: Actions: No Adions were recorded at the AGM - although we still have a requirement to arrange further First Aid training. 3.4: Health & Safety Policy Statement.. The Shed Health and Safety Policy and Risk Assessment documents wer8 reviewed and updated in February 2025. All members are now required to sign the H and S Policy to confirm they have read it and will comply with it. 3.5: Health & Safety Flle.. Contains a comprehensive set of instructions and guidelines regarding the management of accreditation, use of machine and hand tools, etc. 3.6: PPE: This is available free issue, except for safety foofv4ear, the purthase of whith is the responsibility of members. 3.7: Fire Safety: The inspection of the fire extinguishers remains the responsibility of DTC and has been undertaken as required. Fire Safety training has yet to be glven to members. 3.8: First Aid: There are now four First Aiders, three of whom have only been trained to deal with heart attacks. Additional training is required. 3.9: Accidents and Near Mi8$88." Unfortunately, one of our members sustained a minor injury requiring hospital attendance in December 2024. This lead to the critical review and update of our H and S Policy and Risk Assessment referred to above. Following our submission of a report under RIDDOR, we were inspected by a Health and Safety representative from Central Bedfordshire Council and received confinnation thal no further action was required. The member concemed made a quick and full recovery. 4: Finance, Fund Raising I Community Activitles and Products: 4.1: Finance: The Shed continues to raise sufficient funds for adivities to Continue and investigates sources of extemal funding as we become aware of them. 4.2: Fund Raising I Communty A¢tivitle8: Dunstable Town Council: We Gontinue to support DTC with projects including planters and headphone stands. Trade and Craft Falr8: We have attended 18 trade and craft faifs during the year, which have contributed signfficantly to our income. We also use these as opportunities to publicis8 the Shed and meet potential new members. The 2024 Dunstablè l Anglla In Bloom Project: We continue to offer our assistsnce lo support the 2024 project. Again, we have supplied the Award Plaques for the prize giving ceremony. We have d8v8loped links with the Co-op. the Whitbread Fund and Bedfordshire Local Comrnunity Fund, and have received grant funding from them for new tools and equipment etc.
4.3: Other Items of Note: We arranged a Chrislma5 Dinner for members and their guests at a local golf club in December. This proved to be a better (quieter) venue than the restaurant we have used for the past few years. Unusual products this year included a Prayer Tree for a local church, bird box kits for a local Wildlife Trust (to bè assembled by children, a Tombola Drum for a local amateur theatre group and a pair of locking plates to secure the ailerons of a glider in ground transit. We Continue to attend events to publicise the Shed and our activities, incEuding at a local sh8lt8red housing complex and lorAI Rotary meetings. 5: Correctlve Management Actlons: Implemented for 2024125. There have been no significant corrective management actions requir8d in this period except for the policy upjates referred to above. 6: Future Plans: The Shed is now entering a perityj of stability, where we continue to grow. We have workshop time available for new members and continue to see support in ternis of donations and commissions for the local communrty.
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Trustses, and Chaimian's Report Sjgned by: Nlgel Sklnner: Chalmian, Secretary & Trustee. Date: Cllr. John Gurney.. Trustee & Town Councll Rep. Date: Glynn Ellis: Trustee & Project Mgr. Bernhard Bat¢helor: Trustee & Treasurer. Dats: Peter Farrow: Deputy Treasurer and Trustee. (Note that David Gould was a Trustee durlng the rIOd of th18 report hè Is no longer avallable to slgn.I