CHAIRMAN’S REPORT AGM 2023
Emsworth Men’s Shed has grown not only in membership numbers but in membership skills and in projects undertaken and completed.. There is an increased air of both competence and confidence within the Shed.
Last AGM we noted three significant projects:
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a picket fence to surround the Christmas tree which would stand in the town square;
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six planters had been made for a girl scout group
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benches in the Friends of Emsworth Community Health garden had been refurbished.
This last year we have completed more than 50 projects, from helping Emsworth Community Association prepare the courtyard ready for use to rebuilding a lighthouse, and I seem to remember restoring a bench or two!
This year:
We have created the social area where members can sit and chat - an arrangement which has gone a long way towards meeting one of our key objectives of simply being a meeting place, and which has proved to be a real success. The social aspect of the Shed has also pushed forward with a tour behind the scenes of Boathouse 4 in Portsmouth Dockyard and a visit to the BMW Mini factory at Cowley. Both events very well supported.
We have created a cleaner safer Shed to work in by installing an extraction system for clearing sawdust directly from machines as it is created, and have installed Air Cleaners to capture airborne dust from the atmosphere. This project was largely funded by a generous grant from Friends of Emsworth Community Health. Staying with Health and Safety, the electrical installation in the Shed has been upgraded by sheathing potentially vulnerable wiring in steel conduit and adding additional power outlets to avoid the need for long cables on machines and the use of extension leads. New heaters have also been installed to warm the Shed more effectively.
We have further created a cleaner tidier Shed by the building of the wood store which has removed the hazard and inconvenience of timber stacked up and lying about in the Shed itself. And by the innovation of storage bins for WIP projects to keep workbenches clear and available for use by others - for which we must thank Ian.
We have re-arranged the layout of the machine room (several times) which now has more workspace available though we have more equipment
Emsworth Men’s Shed has also continued to develop the equipment in the workshop with the addition of a new Sliding Mitre Saw. New Band Saw and Router Table both courtesy of a further grant from FECH, and the addition of a robust and accurate Record Planer/Thicknesser and a SIP Wood Turning Lathe to replace the Myford ML8 which has served us well but the new machine will better meet our purposes. All of which are proving their worth and are earning their keep Emsworth Men’s Shed now has a workshop which can
not only meet the needs of the most enthusiastic woodworker, but is much admired by visitors to the Shed.
Moving forward:
As most of you will know I will be retiring as Chairman of Emsworth Men’s Shed very shortly. I was induced, persuaded, encouraged to take on the task of leading the creation of Emsworth Men’s Shed in July of 2021, and when I saw the premises, the pile of assorted mainly rusty tools piled up and little money available I really was tempted to decline the invitation. But I got lucky with the small group of people that gathered round me and helped with the initial dirty work and preparation of the Shed, and my heartfelt thanks to you all. And my thanks especially to the few who volunteered to take on the role of trustee and help to manage the Shed. Without them I would have achieved nothing. So my very personal thanks to Richard Swaine, Linda Hunt, Jon Gadd, Ian Lewis, and Andrew Lane for the help and support they gave me.
So that was the team that has got Emsworth Men’s Shed to the position we enjoy now. But I do want to mention two other people who contributed to the very existence of the Shed. Both of whom were Emsworth Community Association trustees at the time and who pushed for the Men’s Shed to be created when the possibility of the building being razed to the ground to create more parking space was very real.
Dwynwen Stepien who sought grants to enable the initial building work to begin and was there to help smooth the way when we struggled with finances is the early days, and Sandie Swaine who provided not only massive support for the Men’s Shed project within the Emsworth Community Association committee but also in real terms working along side us getting involved in the day to day nitty gritty, and using her remarkable enthusiasm for the project and her energy to keep us going.
Looking ahead. Emsworth Men’s Shed will grow in numbers, skills, achievements, and possibly size - Emsworth Men’s Shed has permission to extend over the grass area to the rear - but however it grows it must not lose sight of the main purpose - a meeting place for people.
David Youngman
Chairman
Emsworth Mens Shed Treasurers Report of Annual Accounts for 2023
Income and Expenditure 2022 - 2023
| Closing Balance of 2021 - 2022 Income Subscriptions Donations Sales Legacy Grants Total Income Expenses Materials/Consumables Donations Insurance Fees Rent Total Expenses Income less Expenses Closing Balance : |
-3,601.63 2022-2023 2021-2022 750.00 (175.00) 3,922.91 (2,144.15) 702.00 (184.00) 970.00 1,800.00 (860.66) 8,144.91 (6,764.88) 5,712.79 (3,062.25) 75.30 (50.00) 561.69 216.49 (51.00) 500.00 7,066.27 (3,163.25) 1,078.64 4,680.27 |
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