More... north-lowestoft-mens-shed
NLMS in May 2023
In May 2023, after its public launch in April, members gathered on the land. These photos show the land, and us starting to clear the spot we'd chosen as the site of our shed.
North Lowestoft Men's Shed in March 2025 Beach Huts and daffodils and stuff
Some photos from March 2025
February 2023 The Keys to the Land of Hope and Dreams
The Shed receives the keys to the Land of hope and Dreams, courtesy of Greater Anglia
Mayfly garden welcomes experts and a new MP
The Mayfly, burgeoning coffee and cultural High Street hub, is turning some derelict land into, well, something else. A community garden? A mini-wildlife reserve? Butterfly haven? Part of a grand scheme to upgrade the whole of the cliff-face? It'll be up to those who get involved, said Piers Colby, le patron of The Mayfly and community catalyst.
On what had turned out to be General Election Day, The Mayfly Garden Group welcomed Dr Ian Bedford and Dannny Suggit, Production Manager of PlantGrow Ltd
Concrete Defeated (almost)
The Shed continues. We regularly meet on Wednesdays at 10am on land next to Lowestoft Station carpark.
For many years, the piece of land was a siding and cattle dock for the railway. We've found eleven posts. They are very robust – huge steel bars (possibly rail track) embedded in concrete. We have tried many ways of chopping the concrete off. We have failed. Up until now.
Shed Wildlife 1st April
Pictured are the larvae of the brown-tailed moth. There's several colonies on the Land of Hope and Dreams. They look like spider-web nurseries, but they are actually “ … a silken tent”. Some will be pleased to know they eat the young leaves of brambles, amongst others.
The hairs on the larvae can cause irritation to the skin, about the same strength as a stinging nettle, and on rare instances can cause severe skin reaction and rash. So best not to give them a friendly stroke.
eBay Help needed
NLMS members are working hard to develop our land on Denmark Road. We have already made good progress, erected a shed, installed solar power, moved lots of fly tipped rubbish and started trying to make the site more attractive for everyone, but there is still lots to be done and we are running out of funds.
We are currently opening an eBay seller page and we are looking for stuff to sell, so if you have an old Faberge Egg, a broken Rolex watch or a bit of old sapphire and diamond jewellery you no longer have a need for, maybe you would consider donating it to us.
The Shed has Light!
Our Shed now has (limited) electric power.
On Wednesday 28th Feb the Solar Panels were connected to all the gubbins that makes their power useable, and we switched on a light.
Next step is to wire up the Shed interior.
The advent of power would not have been possible without a generous grant from the Enabling Communities Budget of East Suffolk Council, so a BIG THANK YOU to local Councillors Keith Patience, Janet Craig and Tess Gandy.
North Lowestoft Men's Shed AGM
North Lowestoft Men's Shed AGM 26th March 10.30am Old Parcels Office
Members and Invited Guests.
Shed Hours extended
North Lowestoft Men's Shed has extended its opening hours. Site is now open from 10 to around 2pm every Wednesday, EXCEPT Weds 6th March, when we're having a 'What Next?' morning.
We now have electric light! Guttering, The Glade, planter, work bench all in progress...
NLMS days coming up
Weds 6th March What Next? 10 - 1 Old Parcels Office
Weds 13th Denmark Road 10 - 2
Weds 20th March Denmark Road 10 - 2
Tues 26th March 11 - 12 AGM at Old Parcels Office
Weds 27th March Denmark Road 10 - 2
Triangle Book Sale for Shed
Front Bar. Triangle Tavern. Book Sale in aid of North Lowestoft Men's Shed
History of NLMS Land
The History of the Land of Hope and Dreams
North Lowestoft Men's Shed is currently residing in a steel shed on the wasteland just to the west of Lowestoft Central Station's car park.
This is what we know of the land's history so far.
So far as we have discovered, there were no buildings on the land prior to the arrival of the railway in 1847.
However, the easternmost edge of Lake Lothing was there, and there may have been a quayside of some description – or maybe it was marshland?
Soon after 1947 siding was built
Men's Shed Update
[First published around January 2023, edited for historical accuracy of photo 12/11/2023]
We're still in mid-stride!
The three surveys of the building in Denmark Road that we have been waiting for have been given the OK to go ahead. So let's hope they are done nice and quickly, as the results – asbestos, electrical, structural – will decide whether we will be able to continue our journey.
Shed Patio is born!
North Lowestoft Men's Shed (aka NLMS) continues to consolidate its base. In this case, building a patio.
Using gravel-mesh as the patio base our next step is to spread gravel over it all. This will create a solid and secure surface on which to put our donated garden and chair set to catch the last of the summer sun.
We've also been donated high-quality kitchen cupboards by Lowestoft Tile Company in Wilde Street. A piece of work-surface has been attached to a metal table frame found abandoned in the High Street to create a work table.
We have a flag, too.
How to Join
To join the Shed, the best thing is to come to our regular working party meetings to see what's happening.
Wednesdays, 10.30 to 12.15. It's on the land to the west of the station car park in Denmark Road. There's a gate in the fence just past the end of the car-park.
Our shed is on a piece of wasteland, with uneven paths and a lot of wildlife, so it's best to wear trousers and stout shoes (as we used to say). Someone will show you round. If you're interested, there's a membership form to complete, and it currently costs £3.00 a month.
NLMS Wasn't Built in a Day!
On July 5th 2023 our new flatpack shed was craned onto the Land of Hope and Dreams we're borrowing from Greater Anglia.
We finished the foundations the following week, and on 19th July we unpacked the flatpack and began the build.
Our ambitious plan to do it in a day was not achieved, but a good day's work.
The next week we completed the build.
Shed Lands Safely
North Lowestoft Men's Shed landed last Wednesday 5th July 2023.
The lorry hove into view around 5.30pm.
We were taking delivery of a 6m x 2.3m flatpack steel shed – with windows, and, usefully, a door.
We've spent the last two weeks pondering on and creating the foundations – not finished yet.
Once they've been done and cured, we'll start the build. The instructions look simple...
Right now, we can't take on any more members, but once our shed is built, we hope to be able to do so.
Shed Coming!
North Lowestoft Men's Shed is gradually transforming the bit of land to the west of Lowestoft Central Station.
Our steel garden shed is due to arrive on 5th July. Then we've got to construct it.
We're creating the foundations next week.
We've cleared some brambles, excavated industrial archaeology, sourced some pallets, and generally made progress.
The land was originally – 1900 to 1950's – a siding, dedicated to loading and unloading livestock – cattle and pigs.
Land of Hope and Dreams
Finally. We have a base of operations!
North Lowestoft Men's Shed has become 'custodians' of a piece of land just to the east of the signal box next to Denmark Road.
We're officially 'Station Adopters' and we have a free hand with the land, though of course we can't build on it. Current thinking is wildlife area, a few fruit trees, and area to sit and contemplate...
We're hoping to get a container – our first Shed' - within the next few months.
A few things have to happen first, though.
NLMS Heritage Open Day
North Lowestoft Men's Shed is open on Wednesday 13th September 11am - 1pm.
BEWARE: The land is uneven, it's full of plants that can rise up and attack ie brambles, and there are no laid paths, BUT it's full of history and we'll be only too glad to stop doing whatever we are doing and chat with visitors!
Is this the new shed?
North Lowestoft Men's Shed shedders have looked round the Denmark Road building, owned by Network Rail.
It's the old Menzies distribution depot, and then it was Chadds' storage warehouse.. It's been there many years.
It looks perfect to us. We've not had a structural survey done, but it's been there since before 1900, and it looks solid as a rock. On the other hand, it needs a lot of work to bring it up to spec. Which makes it – perfect.
And there's a bit of land around, which can be used for gardening, bees, sunset watching.
Men's Shed Goes For It!
North Lowestoft Men's Shed has applied to Network Rail for the ex-Chadds, ex-Menzies building in Denmark Road.
They want to turn an unloved run-down building into a vibrant, green, community building. It was built sometime in the 1890's, so it has considerable historic interest, as well.
North Lowestoft Men's Shed think it's a perfectly sound building, ideal as a men's shed project.
Network Rail think it's only fit to demolished.
What is a Shed?
Sheds can be anything the members want them to be, but a shed offers a meeting place where like-minded people can meet up, share worries, pleasures and ideas.
Usually, but not exclusively, the members are retired men and possibly feeling a little isolated. They are about having fun, sharing skills and knowledge, about having a renewed sense of purpose and belonging, without the need to feel any pressure.
A Shed is about filling needs, creating a community and maybe about helping others as well