PORTLAOISE MEN’S SHED 2014• Marshalling duties with Portlaoise Athletics Club and the Laois Cycle &

Touring Club Sportive.

• Collaborated with The Mountmellick Environmental Group to manufacture water barrels for their water conservation project.

• Collaborated with Dunamaise Beekeepers to provide workshops for the rebuilding of hive stocks and running of hive build courses.

• Collaborated with The Abbeyleix Bog project to help complete the bog boardwalk build.

• Collaborated with St Francis School to build raised beds as part of their fifth green schools flag award.

• Conducted the Irish Men’s Shed Leinster cluster meeting involving men’s shed from all over Leinster

• Development of a water conservation project for Portlaoise and surrounding areas to build and install water barrels + up-cycling of plastic barrels running in conjunction with Laois County Council Environmental Department.

•

• Collaborated with Irish Wildlife Trust ( Laois / Offaly ), Laois Heritage Forum to build nesting boxes for endangered species for installation at Emo Court and Abbeyleix Bog Project.

• Collaboration with the National learning network and Rehab Care to provide outreach facilities.

• Successful running of a free health check event run in conjunction with the Irish Heart Foundation as part of Portlaoise Healthy Towns Event.

• Currently upgrading workshops at Portlaoise Equestrian Centre for increased membership and development of larger local and national community projects.

• Participated in the Durrow Scarecrow Festival,

• Collaborated with the Block Youth Project to provide workshop space for completion of youth projects.

• Successful setting up and running of art workshops run in conjunction with Laois County Council Arts Department.

• Awarded the ESB Ecar ambassadorship for 2014 Great Electric Drive as part of our energy conservation submission.

• Piloting a 2014 national study with regard to engagement of younger men with shed membership, activities and projects.

• Currently collaborating with the Celtic Stickmakers Club to provide tuition for the making of trophy sticks to be displayed at the 2015 Ploughing Championships

• Articles and coverage by Irish TV and The Irish Times News paper on our shed project.

• Participated in a cross cultural study and thesis with Western Michigan University USA on the characteristics of the Men’s Shed organizations.

• Irish Men’s Shed Association advocacy award for one of our members to help shed setup in the midlands.

• Collaborated with communities in The Swan, Mountmellick and Birr County Offaly to help the successful setup of Men’s Sheds.

• Development of a community garden and micro farm at the Portlaoise Equestrian Centre.

• Collaborated with Laois Partnership Company for support and direction for development of the project.

• Collaborated with Irish Wildlife Trust ( Laois / Offaly ) Laois Heritage Forum and Office of Public Works to build the Emo Court Bug Hotel for the Heritage week event.

• Community based plans include wormery build for green schools, bird box build for children, school visits to our community garden and micro farm, tidy towns repair and build projects and investigation of further collaborative projects with Irish Wildlife Trust, Abbeyleix Bog Project, Office of Public Works and An Taisce.

• Plans for many community projects under the headings of Food , Energy, Bio Diversity, Environment, Heritage for 2015.