West Radnor Community Haven & Makerspace

West Radnor Community Haven is a registered charity, set up in December 2020 and was due to start operating in April 2021.

The pre-existing 'Llandrindod Wells Men's Shed' had sought to become a registered charity after a change of Trustees in late 2019 and a subsequent dramatic fall in membership.

In January 2020 2 new members joined , both willing to become Officers. In April 2020, these were asked to seek the Charity registration of the Men's Shed (for fundraising purposes).

Both had observed that there had been a very significant loss of members in the previous 6 months. Two ‘dominant’ recently appointed Officers strongly favoured concentrating on activities using woodworking machinery, contrary to its constitution, and at the expense of the Shed’s social aspects. The important 'mental health aspects' of the Sheds' activities appeared to have been largely ignored and the result appeared to have been a loss of well over 50% of it’s members - leaving only 5 to continue.

A 'new' Charity Commission registration process, introduced in 2018, requires the setting up (and registration) of a 'new charity' with a unique name which then merges with the unregistered charity. It could then adopt the ‘old’ charity's name. The new charity was registered, as West Radnor Community Haven, following a lot of effort, in December 2020.

The Llandrindod Wells Men's Shed’s existing Constitution (and practices) were not compliant with Charity Commission requirements. There were only 5 members left at that time and the ‘diverging’ requirements for a Constitution created a difference of opinion between the 3 'old' members and the 2 ‘new’ members (who had been asked to register it). The proposal to merge was voted down 3 to 2.

When West Radnor Community Haven was registered it had been expected to both address this social aspect deficiency and to widen membership by becoming 'open to all'. Haven activities would be based on facilitating meetings where it's members can 'share activities and interests whilst doing work for community benefit and sharing conversation'.

There are problems, both in terms of Health and of Safety and in having 'production facilities', which inevitably generate significant noise and dust, within the meeting place. It was therefore proposed that meetings would be set up with 3 separated areas.

One would be a 'Craft Studio' that will be more targeted at art and craftwork,

One would be a 'Hobbies Workshop' where the activities are likely to be wood or metal assembly based and,

One (the most important constitutionally) would be a 'Common Room' where table games could be played and refreshments taken.

In January 2021, Covid rules came into force and the use of Men's Shed workshops was forbidden. The Haven started holding 'Covid Compliant' active social meetings at several venues. Socially distanced activities such as quizzes and discussions were popular and it started a Jigsaw Lending Library that was popular, ending up with over 500 donated jigsaws in its catalogue. It had also obtained a 'mobile workshop' based on a Tow A Van trailer which was towed between venues.

Before Covid restrictions ended the Men's Shed workshop venue closed and the Haven started looking for its own permanent workshop. The Haven ran, successfully, at Nantmel for 2 years at before the owner passed away and the site became unavailable. Whilst there it ran a very successful Craft Fayre as a fundraiser. Having moved to the Crossgates Community Centre, where it also ran successfully for nearly 3 years, ran another successful Craft Fayre, and where it planned to set up a workshop, a change of management decided it no longer wished to have a workshop near it. From Crossgates, it moved to the British Legion Club and was trying to negotiate for a workshop there for 6 months. Eventually the landowner, Royal British Legion, vetoed the project.

Finally the Haven Trustees identified the opportunity to site 'it's own' workshop adjacent to the MRC in Llandrindod Wells and is now working towards opening it in Spring 2026. The site meets all of the objectives laid down at the start of the Haven.

Currently, 3 of our 6 very long term members regularly meet at a home workshop and all of us meet up to discuss progress and decide priorities fairly regularly. Current interests are wine making, walking stick making and getting used to using a woodturning lathe - and of course trying to get progress on the Makerspace Project.

The Craft Studio Area

This well lit part and dust free area of the workshop is reserved for those who wish to share fabric and paper crafts with others and is equipped with a table and comfortable chairs. There are 2 sewing machines available for use, an overlocker and a ‘normal’ one. It can also be used for ‘table games’ such as Cards and word games. Part of the area is equipped as a ‘Design Studio’ for a 3D printer and a Laser cutter/engraver.

The Hobbies Workshop

This section of the workshop is separated from the craft area by a sliding door and contains our woodworking machines, power and hand tools and a Carpenters Bench. One section of workbench is height adjustable for wheelchair users. Bench fixed machines include a Sliding Compound Mitre Saw, Bandsaw, Pillar Drill, Belt Sander, Router Table and Lathe. A comprehensive array of cordless tools are available for use.

The ‘Chatting Place’

Adjacent to the workshop are the premises of Movement Recreation and Culture, and Makerspace users have permission to use their social areas, refreshment facilities and hygiene facilities. These provide the opportunity ‘take a break’ from the workshop and to ‘chill and chat’ with other users in congenial surroundings. . There may be opportunities to use some of their ‘games tables’ at times.