Hello Shedders!

Today we went up to see the Shedders at Blaengarw Rugby Club.  We went up there for a gathering with fellow Shedders from that area and what fun we had!  They're a great bunch and it was lovely to chat with everyone and we even played some good old fashioned pub games.  Can I say that you would all have been proud of the Clydach Shed as we came out tops.  The others felt threatened to the point that I think some of them were thinking of cheating but I had my eyes on them.  It was all god fun! 

Soup of the day tomorrow will be leek and potato.  Hooray I hear you say.  I don't think everyone liked the minestrone last week, the pasta was not to everyone's taste.

Tomorrow the sun is supposed to shine, as it usually does on a Wednesday.  However, dress up warm with many layers and the kettles will be on.

​Good morning Shedders,

We certainly had a manic time last week with TV cameras rolling Wednesday and Friday, it should be quieter this week, no cameras are expected.  There are some pictures below from the filming last week on S4C!

The weather could have been better but it did give us some comic moments.  One minute it was dry and we were happily drinking tea and eating biscuits outside then, out of nowhere, it poured down.  It was the quickest some of us have moved in a long time.  As we were trying to get everything  in the Shed the legs fell off the table.  If you are a regular you will know this happens quite often and each time the cry goes out to fix it.  It made the situation farcical with us all getting soaked in the process.

This Wednesday is going to be a special day.  The electrics are in and working off the generator so we are going to have a switching on ceremony.  It will be a fantastic moment after weeks of sometimes looking at each other in an almost dark Shed with just the glow of the fairy lights.  Things are heading the right way.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, a warm welcome awaits in (possibly) a warm Shed.  The kettle will be whistling anyway.

​Hi Shedders,

Well guys the excitement does not end on Wednesday!

Wales Online have been on the 'phone this afternoon and they want to come to the Shed on Friday.  There is no end to our popularity so I hope you can all make it.

We might have to get a bigger kettle at this rate!

​Good morning Shedders,

It was so nice to see you all last week after the Christmas break, I enjoyed chatting and catching up with you all on the Wednesday and Friday. The weather was good on both days, I couldn't believe we were sitting outside in January.  What a bonus!  It was warmer outside than inside the Shed.  The passing drivers must have missed us over the break as we had a lot of toots.  We make everyone's day.

Tomorrow we have the company of Heno S4C.  They are going to be there in the day as well as the evening, filming us just as the BBC were doing, I'm name dropping now guys!  We will know more about their plans when they arrive.  Please do not be put off by the thought of the cameras, they just get on with it and it is great fun to watch how they go about things. 

I have checked the weather and it is looking good for tomorrow, keep everything crossed that it won't change.  Soup of the day is leek and potato, I know that is a favourite with many of you.  Wear warm clothes as usual, kettle will be whistling so come and enjoy.

See you there

Belinda

Have a read of our feature from Cwmtawe Cluster!

"Just wait until you discover what Belinda Gardiner did next after spotting a derelict Blacksmith's forge in the Swansea Valley...it will restore your faith in human nature.

Her actions have made a real difference to the community of Clydach and have been praised by the local GP Surgery."

Read the full story here: https://tinyurl.com/yy8aqvw9

Well, what an eventful couple of weeks!

Today, we officially had light.  After weeks of relying on the (temperamental) Welsh sun to light our little shed, we now have a generator up and running.  

Thanks to the ingenuity of our shedders and some great team work we managed to repair a generator that was kindly donated to the shed from a member of the local community.  Our next task is to fit some more permanent lights up in the shed.

Today, the Shedders also started building a work bench (which already looks fantastic!) and continued to paint the back wall of the shed to maximise the light.  We have another coat to do but it's already looking much brighter!

And that's not all!  The Shedders have been busy putting up a fence alongside the canal and the river and we couldn't be more impressed!  What a great job!  A big thank you to everyone who has donated materials - your support has been amazing.

​If you've got any ideas for a project that you think could be interesting, why not get in touch!  

Well, what a great day at the Shed!  Today, we had over 20 people join us for tea/coffee and homemade banana cake, alfresco style!   

We welcomed some new Shedders this week and some of our existing Shedders have been busy making plans for the design of the shed, as well as organising the design for the fencing.  We are all rising to the challenge and loving every minute of it.  

Today, we also welcomed the Police.  Local Police Officers gave a very informative talk on the area and all the ways in which we can improve security in our homes, community and online.  

This is just a snap shot of today and doesn't include all the wonderful conversations we've been having with one another and the passers by on the canal.  We're loving every minute of this journey and look forward to every Wednesday!

We've had a great couple of weeks down at the Shed and we haven't let the rain dampen our spirits.  Last week some of our Shedders were busy painting whilst discussing what projects they'd like to start working on.  We've got some great ideas and we've had some great suggestions and offers from the local community.  We can't wait to get started!

This month we successfully set up our bank account and now we're actively applying for funding and raising money to purchase the necessary tools and equipment for those attending the Shed to bring their projects to life. 

As always, we'd love to hear from you.  If you have any ideas or would like to get involved then please get in touch.

Hey Shedders! Some photos from the last couple of weeks at the shed. We're making good progress to set the space up and running and it's been great getting to know everyone!

We've taken down the billboard that was between the shed and the canal and what a difference it's made!  We're also in the process of setting up a bank account so we can start applying for some funding...and yes, that is us having fish and chips in the sun below!

To anyone who is interested or may know someone who's interested in joining the shed, we meet every Wednesday at the Old Blacksmiths on Mond corner. For more details feel free to send us a message or call/text 07395138201.
Thank you for all of the support so far and thanks to everyone who's stopped off for a chat walking along the canal or taken the time to help us on this journey!
Diolch!