Sheds Together bench donation

Members of Age UK Wyvern’s Ledbury Sheds Together group are presenting a unique hand-crafted oak bench to St Michael’s Church.

The new bench was made from scratch by members of the team at their premises at Ledbury Rugby Football Club and will complement wooden planters previously made by the same group for the church.

The wood for the bench was donated by a local farmer and its construction has been a substantial piece of work. Keith Copus, co-ordinator of the group, described the process: “We started off with large pieces of oak which needed to be cut down to size. We wanted to cut it while it was still ‘green’ – freshly cut – as this makes it easier to work with but we knew that as it seasoned its shape would change. It was a delicate balancing act which tested all our skills but we’re very pleased with the end result”.

The project was helped by funding from DRINKiQ and the UK Men’s Sheds Association and is part of a national campaign to install 100 “buddy benches” across the country, recognising that the simple act of sitting next to someone on a bench can start a conversation or foster a connection – something that’s often missing in the lives of older people.

Caroline Savage from Age UK Wyvern explained the purpose of the Shed’s Together project, “We encourage lots of ways for older people to engage with their local communities in a meaningful way. At Sheds Together, participants learn new skills, or practice old ones, and produce one-of-a-kind objects to benefit people in Ledbury. This lovely bench is the latest in a series of exciting ventures, including a ticket booth for Ledbury Carnival and the restoration of a lectern for the Cemetery Chapel. Members of the group have the satisfaction of seeing their work being put to practical use in the community.”

Age UK Wyvern’s shop in the town has close links with the Sheds Together group, who have made shelving for donations and created a one-of-a kind dolls house which was sold to raise funds for the charity. The charity supports local older people; it runs free Information and Advice sessions and a free drop-in Digital Café, both held at Ledbury library. Its Help at Home service, costing £21 per hour, helps older people with housework, shopping and companionship.