Our members…
Our focus is mainly on older men and women. It is a place to meet, chat, do woodwork (or nothing at all) and generally pass the time in the company of friendly people.
Our Workshop…
We have a well equipped workshop with lots of equipment – a lathe, table saw, bandsaw, mitre saw, planer-thicknesser, bench drill and a comprehensive collection of power tools.
It’s a place where Shedders can pick up skills as you go along from more experienced members.
Examples of work…
Latest stories
- Craftsmanship & Community: Building Wood Planters and Bird Boxes for Local Primary Schools
The Dusty Shed, a local charity for mainly lonely and isolated older men, has taken on a community project to build… Read more: Craftsmanship & Community: Building Wood Planters and Bird Boxes for Local Primary Schools - Shed members enjoy a BBQ!
On a sunny day in August, we held a BBQ for our members! Everyone had a great time. If you want… Read more: Shed members enjoy a BBQ! - Surplus tools donation to the Dusty Shed by Diamond Hard Surfaces Ltd
We recently received a donation of surplus tools from Diamond Hard Surfaces Ltd. Thank you for sending us your spare tools… Read more: Surplus tools donation to the Dusty Shed by Diamond Hard Surfaces Ltd - Dusty Shedders donate hand and power tools to Tools with a Mission charity.
The Dusty Shed made a donation to the charity ‘Tools with a Mission’ (TWAM), who’s aims are to collect unwanted but… Read more: Dusty Shedders donate hand and power tools to Tools with a Mission charity. - The Dusty Shed’s new Wednesday ‘Wellbeing Group’
We have a new Wednesday group, where we can just sit and chatter about how things are, about our lives, and… Read more: The Dusty Shed’s new Wednesday ‘Wellbeing Group’
Go to our Blog page for more stories
Want to know more about The Dusty Shed?
– Read our Report!
Take a moment to read our ‘Summary of Dusty Shed Activities – Nov 2024‘. You can find out how we’ve been busy as a group, as well as helping people with loneliness and isolation.
Please read
– Summary of Dusty Shed Activities – Nov 2024
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The Dusty Shed is part of a worldwide movement called ‘Men’s Sheds’, however we do not restrict membership only to men. It’s a place where older men and women can work on practical projects like woodworking or almost anything else (within reason) they’re interested in, or simply turn up for coffee and a chat.
Our main goal is to improve people’s health and well-being by reducing loneliness and isolation. We specifically focus on men and women aged 50 years or older and live in Ely, Caerau, and the surrounding areas of Cardiff.
LATEST NEWS
Feb 2025.
We completed a risk assessment, resulting in purchase of top-quality goggles, masks and ear defenders. All electrical equipment was PAT tested. This completes tasks arising from a safety review undertaken in the previous year.
Severn Road Primary School wanted 4 planters and 5 bird boxes for their school garden. We also built 5 planters and 5 bird boxes for Pencaerau Primary School. We provided all materials, and our members built all the large planters and bird boxes for them.
We also have the Wellbeing Group, who meet every Wednesday, from 10am. It’s a non-woodworking group, where you can spend time talking, about things on your mind, and have time to feel better. Click here – to find out more about this group..
MEMBERSHIP
The Dusty Shed is all about bringing people together, especially older men who might feel lonely or isolated. We do this through woodworking and craft activities, where everyone can interact and have a good time. Since we don’t have any paid staff and none of us are trained to handle physical or mental health issues, we have a key rule for joining: you need to be able to work safely on your own with various woodworking tools, some of which are quite dangerous. Our more experienced members are always willing to advise and demonstrate.
If you’re thinking about joining or want to see if it’s a good fit for someone you care for, the best way is to visit us and chat with the Chair of our Members’ Committee. We invite potential new members to come by on Fridays between 11:00am and 1:00pm.
Feel free to call or email us to set up a visit.
OPENING TIMES
The Dusty Shed will normally be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 10am to 2pm.
Tuesdays
We are normally open on Tuesdays for our existing members only.
Wednesdays – Wellbeing Group
The Dusty Shed’s Wellbeing Group is a talking social group. It’s a non-woodworking group, where you can spend time talking, about things on your mind, and have time to feel better. Want to know more about the Wellbeing Group – click here.
Fridays
Prospective New Members.
If you, or someone you know, are interested in joining the Dusty Shed and would like to visit us for a chat, please phone us on 07395 414683 to arrange a visit,
For more information, please write to us using our Contact Us page. One of the trustees will get in touch as soon as possible.
Recent Grants
We gratefully acknowledge receipt of grants from Simon Gibson Trust, and Trusthouse Charitable Foundation in 2024.
In 2023 we received grants from the National Lottery Community Fund, to meet our operating costs, and another from the Cardiff Shared Prosperity Fund which helps to pay for a project coordination service and a monitoring and evaluation service. Recently, we received a grant from the Gallagher Community fund to meet the cost of replacing worn power tools.
Since 2019. we have received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, from Viridor to buy good trade-quality woodworking machines, and from Comic Relief to convert our outdoor area into a community space for running craft projects and holding meetings.
As a charity that serves an area of Cardiff which ranks highly in the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, we are very grateful to all our funders for their generous support.