Wharfedale Men’s Shed members have been busy crafting bird nest boxes, feeders and planters for Westgate Primary School in Otley, as part of a growing partnership with local charity Wildlife Friendly Otley. The handmade boxes — designed for robins, wrens and blue tits — were presented to the school’s Eco Team during a recent visit to Grove Hill Park.

After more than seven years of running the WMS workshop, the committee — a hardworking, if perpetually grumbling, bunch — finally sat together for a group photograph. The result was less than inspiring. Whether they couldn’t muster the enthusiasm or simply refused to, another seven years may pass before we get a better one.

Members of Wharfedale Men’s Shed built specially adapted bird boxes for Leeds Libraries as part of the Leeds Storytelling Festival. Children used the boxes to create miniature worlds that inspired new stories. The collaboration brought together community groups, libraries, and young creatives in a project celebrating imagination, storytelling, and craftsmanship.

Wishing all our readers, friends, and supporters—wherever you are—a very Happy New Year. As we step into 2026, we hope it brings you good health,

Otley Courthouse celebrated Heritage Open Day 2025 with a day of architecture and community fun. WMS created a Jenga-style model of the Otley Town Clock for a free competition, where entrants tested their skill and balance. The winners removed an impressive 27 blocks without toppling the tower.

Wharfedale Men’s Shed returned to Otley Westgate Primary School to build large planters and create a planting space in the tarmac playground. Over two days, members cut through hardcore, prepared soil, and completed timber planters, transforming a stark space into a greener environment that delighted the headteacher.

WMS members have kept busy through the hot summer, meeting, making, and learning together. Stephen has been developing his woodturning skills, moving from ‘between-centre’ projects to bowl turning. With guidance from Malcolm, an experienced turner, he shaped, hollowed, and finished a Masasa wood bowl—declaring it “fit for peanuts or hazelnuts.”

A WMS member, passing tree surgeons felling the now-famous oak, asked: “What will happen to the wood?” Days later, a huge trunk section arrived at Otley Courthouse. Too large to store whole, it was cut into slices for drying. Members now plan creative uses once the timber is ready.