Our Shed is not just any shed - it’s a 7m x 3m bespoke, community-designed, accessible space on the Thames View Estate for residents to take up training, hobbies, and make new friends.
Shed Life has grown from a seedling of an idea, sown by a local resident in 2018, to become a fully functioning, practical, community-led space, open to all residents.
It’s a place to find new friends, think about new ideas, talk and share stories, learn from each other, and celebrate and commiserate.
We started with a weekly two-hour drop-in at the Thames Community Hub eight years ago.
The Wednesday morning drop-in is still central to our delivery model; we are consistently ‘open every week,’ but flexible, ‘drop in when you can.’
Therefore, there is less pressure for residents experiencing anxiety, or who have complicated lives due to a long-term health condition, or who are living with a disability or caring for a family member.
The relaxed nature of the drop-in supports our ability to engage new residents and residents with diverse needs.
The drop-in is a fun morning with music, dancing, arts and crafts and quizzes.
This is where we develop and strengthen our shared values; our interactive Shed Life quizzes act as informal training, creating a safe shared space where new members are welcomed and quickly get on board.
Shed Life is run by a team of local people who, themselves, just one day ‘dropped in’.
We have regular team training, covering all aspects of managing a community space and facilitating workshops, from safeguarding, health and safety, risk assessments, professional boundaries, and community engagement.
We are gradually growing the core skills of the team to make sure we continue to build a sustainable community-led project.
Most importantly, Shed Life is a friendship network who look out for each other.
It is a safe space to build confidence, to contribute to local conversations, be creative, and just get involved.
At Shed Life we believe: That everyone has the right to live a life that allows them to get on with life; good health, independence, friendship, enjoyable social activities, and new experiences.
We evolve and grow organically with our residents, ‘we all make Shed Life together,’ we encourage autonomy, a can-do attitude, creative problem-solving, and we support each other.
We have a spectrum of abilities and disabilities, cultures, and beliefs, and everyone is welcome.
To find out more about Shed Life at the Thames Community Hub, visit: humourisk.co.uk or email Susie at humourisk@gmail.com.
- Susie Miller Oduniyi is artistic director at Humourisk CIC.
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