About Us
The Forest Community Shed now have day workshops at the Orchard Trust’s Day Service.
The site is fully accessible and offers a friendly environment in the lovely grounds of the 7-acre smallholding.
This is an exciting social partnership, between likeminded organisations to provide adults of all abilities, the elderly and those who are isolated and lonely, the opportunity to get out of the house and be in a safe, secure, and friendly environment. Care givers can also attend to have a break and attend to personal needs and to relax.
Do you feel lonely or isolated, in need of company, support and friendship?
The Forest Community Shed is a volunteer community group, for everyone, providing a social environment for wellbeing through shared creativity. Open 2 days a week Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am-3pm. You can socialise, learn new skills, and hone existing ones. You can work alongside each other on your own projects, community projects, and projects that support Orchard Trust and that raise funds for the Shed.
We have a wood and metal workshop, space for hobbies and crafts, green woodworking, social spaces, tea and coffee, and always a friendly welcome.
The Orchard Trust’s Day Service is fully resourced and equipped to offer high quality Day Service and therapeutic facilities. You can do all sorts of fun creative activities both inside and out. The smallholding is home to a range of livestock all accessible by wheelchair friendly paths and encounter barns where people can get closer to the animals in a sheltered environment.
The site has an accessible activity park which can be enjoyed by all people young and old, along with facilities for all personal care needs.
We are registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC), a social enterprise that wants to use their profits and assets for the public good, with primarily social objectives where surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the enterprise or in the community.
The Shed is run by the members who decide when they come and what they do and they contribute voluntarily to the group's future. We welcome men and women of all ages.
Just come for a chat and sit a while and have a cup of tea or coffee
Can we help you?
Would you or someone you know benefit from coming to the Shed?
The Shed undertakes repairs and sharpening for local people, and projects in the Community.
We request donations in return to support the future of the Shed.
Can you help us?
Donations of Woodwork hand tools, machines and timber materials welcome.
“ I have made new friends and learnt some great things, it's probably saved my life, or at least my sanity!”
Health & Safety Policy
Shed policy - Safety first!
The workshop shall ensure that equipment is maintained in good repair.
Risk assessments are carried out to identify hazards from the machinery and safety of our members, updated in line with the latest government guidance.
Users are trained prior to them using the machinery.
Maintenance
Maintenance is carried out to prevent problems arising, to put faults right, and to ensure our equipment is working effectively.
All high-risk machinery has a maintenance log, and the log is kept up to date.
Written instructions are available to the users.
Risk Assessments
Our Policy is to make 'assessments of risk' to the health and safety of each Shedder and to act upon risks they identify, so as to reduce them.
We have appointed a competent person to oversee workplace H&S.
We properly maintain the equipment, irrespective of age.
We provide information, instruction and training on the use of equipment; and protect users from dangerous parts of the machinery.
We provide a first aid kit and accident book.
Hygiene
Following the latest government guidelines, we provide a new induction programme, including guidance on when not to attend the shed if you are showing Covid-19 symptoms, instructions on frequent hand-washing, keeping a social distance, using the bench hand sanitisers and tool wipes and the wearing of face masks and washable gloves if needed for the task.
Workbenches, door handles, the sink, surfaces, and equipment are cleaned between sessions.
Training
The workshop ensures that all users receive adequate training.
Users can work unsupervised when they have demonstrated that they are competent.