A COMMUNITY project to fight male loneliness which has been in the works for the last two years has officially opened its doors.

The Great Yeldham Men’s Shed has opened to the public following a lengthy dialogue with Braintree Council which saw the initial bid thrown out.

In April 2022, the Great Yeldham Parish Council held a public meeting to talk about the benefits of a men’s shed, as one was proposed by the local authority’s chairman Philip Rawlinson at the time.

Funding was then raised by an initial grant from mental health charity Mind, and a dedicated committee purchased two large containers in effort to bring the project to life.

Halstead Gazette: Happy – (left to right) committee members Phil King, Mark Sutton, Pete Ewers, secretary Julie Campbell, Paul Marshall, John Marks, and Dave Watkins Happy – (left to right) committee members Phil King, Mark Sutton, Pete Ewers, secretary Julie Campbell, Paul Marshall, John Marks, and Dave Watkins (Image: Great Yeldham Men's Shed)

Unfortunately, in 2023, the group and the parish council were both informed that planning permission was required for the project.

Martin Dowding was the chairman of the committee hoping to bring the Men’s Shed project to Great Yeldham, and left the role in July last year, and Mark Sutton took over as chairman.

The planning application was denied by the district council because it was not pleasing to the eye.

Thankfully, revised plans submitted with an altered design for the men’s shed project was approved last November.

Halstead Gazette: Fantastic - an inside look at the Great Yeldham Men’s ShedFantastic - an inside look at the Great Yeldham Men’s Shed (Image: Great Yeldham Men’s Shed)

An opening event was held on the weekend to celebrate, and the attending crowd were able to enjoy drinks, a BBQ, and delicious cakes.

Committee member Phil King spoke about the idea behind a Men’s Shed and the newly opened Great Yeldham shed.

He said: “There are a number of Men's sheds in the East Anglian region which seek to combat isolation and loneliness to not only Men, as women are more than welcome to come along.

“The idea is to provide a hub where everyone is welcomed in whether they want to learn new skills from the skilled mentors who are happy to impart their skill set to others.

“Or if anyone simply wants to visit to have a cup of tea/coffee and a biscuit over a chat about anything they like.

“The shed unit is fully accessible for people with limited mobility via the ramp access.

“Once inside the shed there is a fully adjustable bench which allows wheelchair access below the bench worktop which allows easy access for both wheelchair users and mentors to teach woodworking skills.”

To find out more about the shed, head to tinyurl.com/4d3wahks.