What Happens at the Shed?

We Incorporate the Dunoon Men’s Shed

Dunoon Community Shed incorporates The Dunoon Men’s Shed which was established in 2015 with the primary objective of improving the health, well-being and social needs of older men. This ethos remains a key part of the Community Shed and it is not restricted to men. We have a friendly environment within our social area and workshop facilities. Members can work on their own projects or involve themselves in our many and varied community projects. Some members just come in for the company, a cuppa and a chat.

Repairing and Making Things

We have many members who are skilled in making and repairing objects, tools and appliances. We aim to keep things out of landfill by repairing, upcycling and renewing items brought to us by members of the community.

Arts and Crafts

We have a growing community of men and women engaged in crafting activities. This may be learning how to sew, knit, draw, paint or simply get together for a chat and to work on a cross stitch kit.

Woodworking

Operating the table saw in Dunoon Community Shed woodwork departmentWe have a superb woodworking area, which is equipped with tools which would otherwise be outside availability for the householder. This includes, industrial bench saws, mitre saw, two lathes, pillar drills, bandsaws, grinders, and many other tools.
Members work on restoration projects and manufacture of items for the public or their own projects. Sometimes, all they need to do is cut a piece of wood for a shelf!

Music

We are building a music space within the expanded Shed. This will have a live room which can be used as a practice room for all kinds of music or for small groups of people from the community who want to get together and make music.

There will also be a recording control room and some instrument storage.

This space is not yet available but plans are made and construction will start soon. If you would like to be involved or think you would use such a space, please contact us.

Engineering and Mechanical

For the members who wish to participate in engineering activities we have a 4 post car lift (thanks to a generous grant from the CoOp), a Colchester lathe, a small milling machine and a welding bay.

There is also a separate area for working on electrical and gardening equipment.

Martial Arts, Exercise and Meeting Space

We are building a space within the expanded Shed that will be available for multiple uses including martial arts, exercise, meetings, talks, and other activities. This space is not yet available but plans are made and construction will start soon. If you would like to be involved or think you would use such a space, please contact us.

Gardening

We are hoping to develop the land around our building to use it as a community garden for the use of local people who would like to grow vegetables or flowers but don’t have access to a garden. This is a bit of a wasteland at the moment with lots of weeds but it could be really nice with some volunteer effort.

We already have some raised beds in use which were created with grants from Tesco, Bank of Scotland, Magic Little Grants and the CoOp have enabled us to start this area and equip it with a Keter tool shed.

Model Railway Club

In January 2023, we formed a model railway club which has proved very popular. It was originally set up in one of the existing rooms but that was never going to be big enough.

A new space is under construction and will be ready in August 2024. It is big enough to house one or two layouts and to allow the growing membership to enjoy this hobby. It will also be used for other types of scale modelling.

Commitment to the people of Dunoon and Cowal

Dunoon Community Shed is a registered Scottish Charity based in its own 11,000 square feet premises in Hamilton Street Dunoon. It incorporates the Dunoon Men’s Shed and provides facilities, resources, services and activities for all comers.