A warm welcome to our Shed
Come on down!
We are very proud of our Shed, now firmly established in the very heart of Axminster at Cross Keys House, conveniently located next to Axminster Hospital. We welcome new members to join our vibrant community.
Our weekly drop-in routine is:
- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.30am to 1.30pm.
- We are also open on Wednesday evenings from 6.30 to 9pm.
Just drop in, grab a cuppa, and find out if it’s for you.
Award for outstanding community work
In 2022, we received a major award for the Shed’s ‘outstanding’ contribution to the local community. Although it was formed only a matter of months before, the Shed received the East Devon AONB’s coveted Acland Award at the organisations’s annual general meeting at Froginwell Vineyard at Woodbury Salterton. The award celebrates community projects that have received funding from the AONB Communities Project Fund (CPF) and ‘gone on to manifest exemplary outcomes for nature, wildlife, people, and place’.
About
For those that don’t know about Shedding, it’s a phenomenon that has resulted in more than 600 groups across the UK doing much what we are doing. While many groups use the title ‘Men’s Shed’, the reality is that they are usually inclusive of men and women, and there are no age barriers. In our case, we are very firmly a ‘Community Shed’.
The common factor in Shedding is that members are often people in retirement who enjoy some company, welcome a chat and are happy to put some of their spare energy into doing stuff that benefits their local communities. In some cases, it’s a process that can help to overcome loneliness and boost well-being. Membership is just £20 a year, with a £3 donation per attendance for refreshments and materials, capped at a maximum of £6 per week.
We are keen to hear from potential members and also from those in the Axminster community who may have projects they would like us to consider.
Our shed
Our shed is a fantastic purpose-built facility based at the Cross Keys development next to Axminster Hospital on Chard Road. It is accessed via the hospital main road entrance and by turning right towards the car park.
The shed has a fully equipped sound proofed main workshop, housing our mechanical saws (Chop Saw, Bench Saw, Scroll Saws, Band Saws), a Thicknesser/Planer, pillar drill, routers and router table and a CNC machine. This is where we carry out our heavy duty and noisier work, and there are workbenches and spaces for sanding and other related tasks.
We have an assembly room, where we can work with hand and power tools, paint and carry out other crafting activities. This room also accommodates our wood lathes and associated equipment. We also have our tea breaks in this room.
The Shed has a dedicated quiet room, set up for those times when our members want to have some down time and relax away from the group. We have a mental health practitioner who can provide support and some therapies in this room outside the hours of the workshop. This room is also used for training.
We have small kitchen, and bathroom, and all areas of the shed are accessible to the disabled.
The shed is fully equipped with the appropriate safety and ventilation equipment, and we have a dedicated wood and paint store on site.
Pop in and see if shedding is for you!
Contact us
If the idea of becoming a Shedder appeals to you (or if you have a relative or friend who might like to hear more) please drop an email to axminstercs@outlook.com (click the email button below for convenience) and we will then call you.
Likewise, do please contact us if you have a project with which you think we can assist. And if you have any tools or wood that you think might find a useful home with us we might well bite your hand off!
Donations of any sort – including funds - will help us in our quest to create a group that can be a real force for future good in our community.
