East Suffolk Council

A project aimed at improving wellbeing and encouraging social interaction is going from strength to strength – with the help of funding from six East Suffolk councillors.  

The North Lowestoft Men’s Shed applied for £3,270 in Enabling Communities Budget funding to install four solar panels onto their sheds.   

Currently, the group operates from a piece of land in Denmark Road. A single, solar-powered shed was built on the site in July 2023, and East Suffolk Council recently donated several beach huts to the group. 

There are no main services on the land, so there is a need for solar panels to give power and light to the new buildings. 

The new beach huts are being rebuilt as workshops, giving the group a place to learn new skills and widening their membership capacity.  

Councillors Tess Gandy, Edward Back, Keith Robinson, Janet Craig, Andree Gee and Peter Byatt each gave funding from their budgets towards the solar panels. 

Councillor Tess Gandy, ward councillor for Harbour & Normanston and lead councillor for this project, said:

“Myself and my fellow councillors are pleased to provide funding towards this brilliant initiative. Supporting groups such as North Lowestoft Men’s Shed to continue to thrive, and expand their membership, is a great way of using our ECB budgets. We are all so pleased to support such an amazing group, which amongst its many functions, tackles social isolation in our local community.” 

John Ellerby, Chair of North Lowestoft Men’s Shed, said:

"We’re thrilled to have received this grant from several of our local councillors’ Enabling Communities Budgets. It will mean that we can install more solar panels, vital for bringing power and light to our re-imagined beach huts, also donated by East Suffolk Council, and widen our membership that’s open to everyone. This is another of our ambitious plans for the Men’s Shed coming to fruition and we are grateful for all the support we receive.  

"We look forward to working with East Suffolk councillors in our negotiations with Network Rail for our ultimate aim - the use and restoration of the old Menzies distribution depot, right next door." 

Russell Brinded, a member of North Lowestoft Men’s Shed, said: 

“Our shed is a brilliant way of encouraging people to come together to make, repair and repurpose items, and along the way we learn practical skills, build relationships and develop a camaraderie second to none. The members would like to thank the councillors for their kind donations which will be put to good use in improving the Shed's facilities so we can accommodate new members or take on new community projects."  

The installation of these solar panels also contributes to the group’s aim of becoming a carbon neutral community group.  

There are several Men’s Sheds across the district. More information on the benefits of these groups and their ability to reduce social isolation can be found here: https://menssheds.org.uk/sheds/