Wharfedale Men’s Shed has built green-roofed bin stores for Wildlife Friendly Otley’s wildlife corridor project. Designed for two or three bins, they’re taller than typical designs so lids open without dragging bins out, while planted roofs support pollinators. See them on the back streets of Hamilton Terrace and Ramsey Terrace.

Our chairman, Stuart, flew the flag for the Shed at April’s Otley Coffee Festival (“Coffee, Creatives and Conversation”) at Otley Parish Church. After telling the audience about what we get up to, he was presented with a cheque for £100. Thank you to the organisers for their generous support!

WMS joined Otley’s Heritage Day, celebrating 170 years of local policing at the Courthouse. Stumped for ideas, we dusted off our old seaside-style photo board and gave it a police makeover — Dennis the Menace, arrested by Mr Plod! A former officer took fingerprints before marching “suspects” to the historic cells. Great fun for all!

Wharfedale Men’s Shed in the shape of Stuart, Bob E and Bob M attended school for three days replacing some large planters for the school, part of the headmaster Chris’s drive to make the outside area more green for the children. Work commenced on a very hot summer day which continued over the three days taken to complete the project.

With the recent heatwave giving everyone a good reason to step outside, members gathered for a group photo in front of the Shed. Fifteen familiar faces, blue polo shirts and bunting overhead — a snapshot of the friendships and community spirit that make Wharfedale Men’s Shed what it is.

All Saints Primary School in Otley heard on their grapevine that WMS had created planters for specific locations at other schools in the town and so made an enquiry with the increasingly busy Shed.
A quick visit and measure up of what they wanted resulted in 3 planters being produced to brighten their main entrance and positioned ready to help celebrate the schools 50th ‘birthday’.
After their large scale event, we were delighted to receive this photograph and their thanks for a job well done.
So any size you want just let us know.

Four WMS committee members — Stuart, Bob E, Neil and Bob M — marshalled the Ilkley Half Marathon on a scorching Sunday, keeping 2,500 runners safely on course. Finishing times ranged from just over an hour to beyond four, with every runner cheered loudly across the line by the enthusiastic WMS gang.

WMS volunteers Bob Miles and Bob “Jim” Johnson restored two weathered wooden benches at Bramhope St. Giles church, sanding away years of wear before applying protective oil finishes over two sunny days. The transformation revealed stunning wood grain beneath. Church Warden Gill praised the results as “a fabulous job.”