The Sleaford REP Community Liaison Panel recently awarded local charity Beyond the Blues £1,350 funding towards workshop facilities to support local mental health work.

Commenting on the new Craft Shed and workshop facilities, Beyond the Blues' Debbie Jones said:

'The shed is open to all mental health support groups who choose to use it within their group sessions.

After a superb job from Leasingham Manor farm shop the shed was erected in a very tight space at the rear of the Sleaford Foyer. Every inch of ground was used to lay our grand new workspace. It has been kitted out with locked cupboards where we store a few power and hand tools. Benches run the length of the shed for us to work on. Gardening equipment is also stored there.

It has taken a while to get the shed functional and safe to use. We had to follow the guidelines of the Foyer and have the correct risk assessments in place. Rules and instructions wrote. Safety equipment bought. By the end of June we were able to hold an open day where use of the shed/tools were explained to everyone followed by a social get together with a BBQ.

We aim to have different projects running. People are invited to bring in their own work or join in with encouragement and instruction group projects, IE bird table.

We are always looking for voluntary help and would appreciate any help that anyone could offer.

We stay in touch with Arts NK and hope in the future we can afford to gain some expertise through them by paying for a wood work course to benefit all.

The work shop is going to be a huge asset to all especially when the weather changes and the use of the garden is limited. New techniques and skills will be gained along with a sense of team work, confidence and achievement.'