What a week – the shortlisted sheddies are ready for Shed Week 2011 – and here in no particular order are some quotes from them.
Normal Shed
Mysterious Shed Birgit Gova,Four Oaks, West Midlands
It has been my immense pleasure entering into this competition and thus being able to share my passion for this shed by means of “writing” a story with the help of photographs I love taking. It was not so much about to win but to show, that to find a place of retreat from the fast pace of today’s life and technology, you do not have to venture far to find it, peace and quiet, beauty against all conceptions and mystery are all around us. You just have to be able to see it. Additional benefits of course would be fresh air, exercise (digging, pruning, weeding etc) and being able to be creative.
I feel that I have known and loved this shed for longer than I can remember. To win this competition would make it even more special.”
Eco Shed
The Ark Chris,Wiltshire
“I’m really surprised to be in the final. We needed to replace a shed in our garden, so I thought I’d do something a bit unusual. I’m not able to build a grand design eco house but I’ve enjoyed trying out some ideas, and I thought I could learn a bit of woodworking at the same time. I saw this competition and thought I’d enter for a bit of fun and there’s a great prize’
Garden Office
Calum’s Shed (Mary’s Meals International HQ) Mary’s Meals,Craig Lodge, Dalmally, Argyll
Quote from Magnus MacFarlane Barrow, founder of Mary’s Meals “I’m
thrilled that dad’s shed won the Garden Office category in the Shed of
the Year competition. It has had so many uses, from storage depot, to
craft room, to the office headquarters it is today. The shed has
always had a special significance for me, and through the Shed of the
Year vote I’ve discovered that the place where I played pool as a
teenager means a lot to a lot of other people as well. Mary’s Meals
has had a remarkable journey, starting as a small aid organisation and
growing to become a charity that provides a daily meal, in school, for
more than 500,000 children. Calum’s shed has been a part of that story
from the beginning, and we hope it will continue to play a role for
many years to come.”
Cabin/Summerhouse
pretty pink palace mags ambler,garden
Being in the final is a dream come true for me and my family! We have worked so hard on the pink palace…husband built it and myself and the children painted and decorated it. We wanted everyone to see our little pink house and knew we where up against strong competition but we hoped that the little pink house would do u proud and it did. It is a wonderful competition to be part of and we are over the moon to be in the final and hope the pink palace goes all the way!! Thank you xxx
Workshop/Studio
songs from the shed Jon Earl,Clevedon N Somerset
It’s fantastic to be in the final of the National Shed of the Year competition. I would never have believed a daft idea in the pub would have resulted in this accolade!
Unique
POP’S DINER PAUL SIUDOWSKI
I’m very happy to have made the shortlist of the National Shed of the Year competition and I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me. I have always had an interest in the fifties rock and roll era, and got the idea for the diner shed when my collection of memorabilia started to take over my house and I needed somewhere different to display it. I’ve had a look at some of the other sheds and I think I’m up against some strong competition – there are some very creative sheds out there!
Pub Shed
The George & The Dragon George Blackwell,Maidenhead
To be in the final of Shed of the Year is a huge honour and justification for all the effort it’s taken to get here. To win the pub shed category in itself is so exciting as the competition was incredibly fierce, there are so many amazing sheds out there. Thank you to everyone who has voted for me. I can’t wait till shed week, I may need to come up with some new songs now!!
Tardis
BlueBox Type 40 John Williams,Newport, South Wales
I am really thrilled to have won the TARDIS category in this year’s competition, as it is the first outdoor project I have undertaken on this scale; my previous being K-9. I built it not only as a tribute to a TV programme that has inspired and encouraged my imagination since I was 7 years old, but also to add an element of quirkiness to my garden. I’m really pleased with the effect that it looks like it has just materialised, and having such an iconic and famous time capsule in a garden setting almost leads you to believe there are endless possibilities beyond the garden boundaries (and also as a reminder of not to take life too seriously!)
Other
The Bygones Museum, GT Yarmouth, Norfolk
I can’t believe it! Everyone always said that I could do it but I always thought “but I’m only a nineteen year old who has a passion for all things Dad’s Army and Home Front who has been storing it in a garden shed since the age of six”. I would just like to thank everyone who has supported me from day one; especially my late Grandad who got me into this obsession of mine, I’d like to think he’s up there now and smiling on what I have achieved so far as well as chuckling away with me at episodes of Dad’s Army.
I thank the sheddies who have made it this far – and look forward to Shed Week – right who’s having a party!
