First Minister visits church led Stornoway community project

Just days after being commended by Scotland's Parliament, Stornoway's Shed Project was visited by First Minister Humza Yousaf, who saw for himself the impact it is making on the island community.

Mr Yousaf was accompanied by Na h-Eileanan an Iar MSP Alasdair Allan, who had earlier in the week submitted a motion at Holyrood, congratulating The Shed Project on its upcoming 10^th anniversary and its "invaluable work" helping people from all backgrounds.

The motion was supported by a broad range of MSPs, including Labour, Green and Conservative members, as well as Dr Allan's SNP colleagues,

Shed Project trustee Claire Smith said The Shed team was delighted to welcome Mr Yousaf as the project prepares to celebrate its first decade next month.

"The First Minister and his team spent a couple of hours with Shed staff and volunteers, and he was able to speak to each team represented," she said.

"The Shed Café team spoke of their support of all in addiction recovery and as part of the Ark and Well groups, and the Youth team told of their work in mentoring in Stornoway Primary, Laxdale Primary and the Nicolson Institute, Stornoway's secondary school.

"The FM also paid a visit to an extremely busy Little Stars group in the church sanctuary, where parents were able to speak of the challenges locally with nursery care and we were also able to tell Mr Yousaf about our unique working model for partnership and co-creating programmes with local agencies."

A decade of making a difference

The Shed Project grew out of the Christmas Giving Tree initiative from Martin's Memorial Church in Stornoway, which partnered with local agencies to provide gifts for their service users.

Following the donation of land to build on and funding from various agencies, including a grant and loan from The Church of Scotland General Trustees, The Shed Project opened in May 2014 as a neutral space where individuals could come for support and fellowship if they did not feel comfortable going to church.

Each week, up to 200 young people attend the various events held at The Shed, while its youth and schools' team also work with pupils at local primary schools and Stornoway's secondary school, the Nicholson Institute.

For the older age group, The Shed offers drop-in support for adults dealing with addiction issues as it lives up to its mission statement: "Serving the Community to the best of our Ability".

Crowdfunder to create new opportunities

As it approaches its tenth anniversary, The Shed team has announced a programme of events which will begin with a commemorative service led by Rev Tommy MacNeil of Martin's Memorial Church.

Rev MacNeil will reflect on the visionary beginnings of The Shed and its remarkable growth over the past decade, from itssmall origins to the active role it plays in the life of the island

"At The Shed, our mission has always been clear - to serve our community with utmost dedication and compassion," The Shed Project's business manager, Fiona Douglas, commented.

"As we celebrate this significant milestone, we are thrilled to share our growth story and the exciting opportunities ahead."

To help take advantage of these opportunities, The Shed Project has also launched a Crowdfunder appeal. This will be directed at supporting its rapidly expanding youth and schools work. The dedicated youth and schools' staff team, led by youth and schools' manager Matthew MacNeil, serve weekly at Stornoway Primary, Laxdale Primary, and the Nicolson Institute, engaging in a spectrum of activities, including primary to secondary transition support, one-on-one mentoring and mental health support, and life skills sessions for sixth year pupils.

"Our youth and schools work has grown beyond recognition over the last few years," Matthew said.

"With the future support of our generous community, we aim to continue this work, amplify our impact and reach even more young people, nurturing their potential and empowering them to thrive."

For more information about The Shed Project and to support the Crowdfunder Appeal, visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-shed-project--sc051365 or www.facebook.com/theshedstornoway/