Community Work at the Shed: What we do!

Fiona Douglas, Business Manager

Hi, 

The Shed Project’s community section is always busy with lots going on and I am delighted to tell you all about it! Within our community section we have a few different services all designed to provide intentional and relational support. 

Our Recovery Drop ins happen every week, The Well and The Ark.  The Well meets three times a week, Monday and Wednesday 10am-4pm and Friday 7-9:30 pm, where people can find a safe space to meet, play some pool and board games, with free tea and coffee and get support from our team Iain and Lawrence.  The Ark meets every Friday from 10am-12pm and is our women only group, there you will find a safe space to chat and have community and engage in some crafts and other activities.  Both The Well and The Ark are completely free and there is no complicated referral process, just come as you are, and you will be made very welcome.  Within both groups there is also opportunity to come along to some trips and excursions, The Ark have participated in the Recovery Walk for the past 3 years and will be going this year to the event in Glasgow, The Well have recently enjoyed a fishing trip and are looking forward to some clay pigeon shooting next week! 

In December last year we opened The Shed Café, a recovery café where our volunteers each have a recovery story, since opening it has really grown, its open to the public on both Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-3pm, with a selection of hot rolls, pastries, pies and coffee all at low prices.  If you haven’t already paid us a visit, can I encourage you to come along! 

Our Intergenerational work through Little Stars is going from strength to strength with between 25-35 families attending both sessions on Thursday and Fridays 10am-12pm in the sanctuary of Martins Memorial, our staff and volunteers work hard to create a welcoming and inviting space and atmosphere that meets the developmental needs of babies and toddlers and gives parents/grandparents/guardians opportunity to have community together.  A further addition to this is our Music and Rhyme group that meet upstairs in the Shed on Tuesday afternoons from 2pm-3pm, where parents and children engage in music and song to aid development and learning, we have approximately 8-12 families coming each week.  In addition to Little Stars, we also have Who Let The Coves Out, our group for dads/guardians and their little ones that meets in the sanctuary once a month, where dads enjoy some play time and bacon rolls! 

Safe Families Western Isles is a franchise of Safe Families UK.  We work with families through the use of vetted and trained volunteers to bring belonging to families, to mitigate crisis and be a helping hand, journeying with families for as long as they want the support.  Volunteers receive training and ongoing support from our team here, and its really very simple, if you have a couple of hours that you can spare in a week you can become a family friend for either a parent or child between the ages of 3-15, or you can be a host home and offer respite for parents by taking a child overnight or if you don’t have the time but would still like to help you can be a resource friend that can be called on if you have specific items or specific skills that could be put to good use to help a family.  There is also the choice of giving financially too and becoming a prayer partner.  We are currently on the lookout for volunteers and if you would like to know more then please get in touch with our team on 01851 827308 or email on westernisles@safefamilies.uk 

All of our work is wonderfully supported by our fabulous volunteers who, week after week bring comfort and community to those that use our different services and are very much valued by us as a staff team.  The Shed Project’s community work continues to thrive and grow and we love seeing people get involved and enthused about what is happening here at The Shed Project.