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…
The Dusty Shed exists to help older people tackle loneliness and social isolation, by providing a welcoming, supportive space where people can come together, share skills, and build friendships.
Our Mission
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 older men and women who live in Ely, Caerau, and the surrounding areas of Cardiff.
Latest stories
- The Dusty Shed Supports Tools With A Mission (TWAM)
Since March 2024, the Dusty Shed has been supporting Tools With A Mission (TWAM), a UK charity that collects and refurbishes… Read more: The Dusty Shed Supports Tools With A Mission (TWAM) - The Dusty Shed Builds Planters for Community at CAER Heritage
Community growing made easier for families and little ones to discover the joy of growing. Something exciting is growing at the… Read more: The Dusty Shed Builds Planters for Community at CAER Heritage - In Memory of Leighton: Jill’s Woodworking Tools Donation to The Dusty Shed
Back in July, Jill got in touch with us at The Dusty Shed. Her late husband, Leighton, had always loved carpentry.… Read more: In Memory of Leighton: Jill’s Woodworking Tools Donation to The Dusty Shed - A Community Visit from MP Alex Barros-Curtis
On Tuesday 29th July, we were delighted to welcome Alex Barros-Curtis, the new Labour MP for Cardiff West, to The Dusty… Read more: A Community Visit from MP Alex Barros-Curtis - Bob’s Story: How the Dusty Shed Helped Me Rebuild
With support from fellow Shed member Ian, Bob has been busy creating a flower hanger for his home. “What this place… Read more: Bob’s Story: How the Dusty Shed Helped Me Rebuild - The Dusty Shed celebrates receiving National Lottery
May 8, 2025 The Dusty Shed celebrates after receiving over £16,000 of National Lottery funding to combat loneliness and isolation for… Read more: The Dusty Shed celebrates receiving National Lottery
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
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, Thursdays 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.
Thursdays
We are normally open on Thursdays for our existing members only.
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.