31/12/2025
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.
Despite the dearth of posts on this page for the last few months due to some technical problems ( lack of internet ) I am happy to report that the Billericay Men’s Shed has been just as busy as ever .
The Monday Cuppa and Chat Sessions continue to be extremely successful with several new members joining the throng with them all still just about managing to squeeze into The Shed ! There they contemplate many topics but, primarily, are there for eachother to lend support and establish friendships.
The Tuesday Woodworking Sessions being held both am and pm are also very popular and have done some amazing work this year, both for the Shed in constructing items for the Blackmore Fayre and the Christmas Fete at Little Burstead Village Hall, and for the community in restoring nine benches at Mountnessing Court Hospital. They also prepare some wooden products for the Wednesday Session to complete, a wonderful collaboration between the two groups.
The Wednesday Session also goes from strength to strength and, this year, we have also welcomed several new couples to the ‘gang’. We continue to partake in our popular musical exercises and singing and, I am pleased to say, added another song to our repertoire , this being ‘ Superman’ by Black Lace, as some respite from YMCA !!
We also have had some great days out during the run up to Xmas including our visit to Southend Pier to see the crocheted poppies bedecking the length of the pier, joined by crocheted ‘vine’ which we were very proud to make approximately 50 metres of as our contribution to the art installation.
Another successful trip out was to Meadowcroft Garden Centre where we partook of some delicious Scones and refreshments prior to ‘ mooching’ around the Christmas Market to pick up some Christmas presents and some continental Fayre such as Stollen and Lebkuchen , we ‘ Shedders’ are so international !
We also had a stall at the Little Burstead Christmas Fayre at the beginning of December where many of our group popped in to say hello . We were also delighted to raise just under £300 from donations made from products made by the Woodworking Group.
The Christmas Party, where members from all three groups were able to attend ,was, as in previous years ,a great success and the Bowls Pavillion was packed to the rafters. There was certainly enough food on offer with sandwiches provided by The Lakeview Palace Cafe and other treats supplied by members of The Shed including Jill’s scrumptious Choux Buns, an exceptional cake made by Pete Wiley and some excellent scones made by Gary and Tina’s Son In Law. Our thanks go to all of them for going the extra mile.
It now comes for us to wish all our supporters and followers an Happy and Healthy New Year and we thank you all for your continued assistance. Special mention must go to The Blackmore Village Fayre Committee for their generous donation to The Billericay Men’s Shed as a result of us being one of their headline charities at The Blackmore Village Fayre earlier in the year, and,in particular, to Donna Toomey and Keith Creffield , who have continued to be valued supporters of The Shed since then. A special mention must also go to Gary and Tina Park who also donated some lovely Xmas gifts to our members at the Christmas Party and are always so willing to pitch in and help.
Ultimately, however, we would also like to thank all our members for helping to make The Billericay Men’s Shed the wonderful place it has become; full of friendship and fun .
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Below: The Christmas Market at Meadowcroft Garden Centre, Barry with one of the nurses from Mountnessing Court Hospital and The Poppies in the Pier at Southend.
