The SMSA interviews 49-year-old George Smith from the Black Isle Men’s Shed who, following a major accident at work, had to give up work in 2005. At a loose end, George started delivering green woodworking tutorials to members in Feddanhill Wood behind Fortrose.
George said: “I had been a carpenter and joiner since the age of 16—travelling all over the UK to wherever the work took me on projects of a transient nature and thoroughly enjoying life. Then in 2005, everything changed.
“I was working on a refurbishment project with a team of other lads but due to a structural architectural defect, the unstable building collapsed on us whilst we were working on the gable end. I quickly managed to shove two lads out of ground floor windows before I was then hit by over eight and a half tonnes of debris. I survived but the building didn’t!
“After hours digging me out, which I thought was only a matter of minutes as I drifted in and out of consciousness, I have been informed by family members that I died several times in the ambulance. I remember waking to smashed teeth, golf-ball-sized dents in my head and a fractured pelvis—and was told about my vapourised hard hat and how I was lucky to be alive.
“On release from hospital, I really didn’t know what to do with myself as I could not ever go back to work. I was heavily medicated and had to use a walking stick and I have had a permanent headache for the last twenty years. My limited mobility meant that I couldn’t get out to do the things that I did before and I spiralled into a depressive rut which severely impacted on my mental health.
“Before the accident, I was quite outgoing and had worked on many high-profile projects including Europe’s first commercial wave generating station on the Isle of Islay. But I had now totally lost my confidence—I was a changed man.
“Then, one day, I saw a post on Facebook that grabbed my attention. A meeting to start up a Black Isle Men Shed and thought it sounded right up my street, literally. To say that it took a lot for me to go along to the Shed that first time is an understatement—I was suffering from panic attacks and social anxiety in other similar scenarios—but thankfully I already knew some of the guys there, as I have lived in the Black Isle for 29 years now, which put me at ease and I felt welcomed and comfortable from day one.
“That was in 2017 and I have been a long-standing member ever since. Our Shed has the use of facilities at Avoch Community Centre which is operated by the 1st Avoch Sea Scouts for the benefit of the community. Our members have access to an indoor workshop, social area (Ward Room) and a storage container, small workshop and a large patio outside to work on larger projects when weather permits.
“I would go along to the Shed at the Avoch centre twice a week and as a team, we all helped get the Shed up and running. We started building our machine shop and work areas at our pace. Everything was great and then COVID reared its ugly head and the centre had to close.
“One of our members Graham Tuley owns a local wood, Feddanhill Wood, and he offered the space for members to work on projects outdoors.
“Graham and I began taking small manageable groups of up to five members each and started teaching the lads green woodworking—working with wet or unseasoned wood that has been freshly-felled—as well as tree identification and forestry management. We would meet up at the woods, learn new skills and soak up the great outdoors whilst carving away with our axes, saws and knives or turning bowls on our pull lathe.
“For our members with a love and passion, like me, for being outdoors, it was an escape for us during the pandemic. There is no power there, apart from a seldom used borrowed generator, and we began creating beautiful items like bowls and spoons using traditional methods the way it used to be—no power tools or electric bills!
“Graham emptied three buildings at the woods and gave us two of them for shelter and storage. Over time, we demolished one that had seen better days and together, we built a new shed using interwoven sapling Ash. We also built another out of pallets and covered it in reclaimed corrugated sheeting.
“We skinned Sitka trees, which I had done before and swore I would never do again, and used the bark as a roofing membrane for the building. We built up numerous layers to ensure it was water tight—and several years on, it still is—not one leak! Graham now has more out buildings for storage and we have our double shed with a reasonably kitted out workshop with all of our hand tools.
“I won’t lie, it has not always been plain sailing. It took me two years to modify the pool lathe in order for me to get it just right to work it with my bad leg on a barber’s chair. But all of these challenges are part of the fun and banter we have there.
“Our plans for the future? Well, we pretty much want to do more of the same. It works! We just all gather with our flasks and a packed lunch and enjoy our time together. We have built up some great friendships. The only thing I would really like to see more of in the future is to introduce more social activities up at the woods since we have this huge outdoor space.
“I would like to see the lads making bows, arrows and targets and doing some archery. And, partake in some axe throwing too! I also really enjoy exploring the area with my metal detector, hopefully some of the lads will join me with that too and go on an adventure and treasure hunt with me next time!”