WHEN a community meadow was vandalised earlier this year, a group of volunteer woodwork enthusiasts stepped in to help.

Priory Community Meadow was created for local residents by the Wareham & District Development Trust more than 15 years ago.

John Scott, development manager of the trust, said they were struggling to raise the necessary funding to finance the repairs after discovering ripped up fencing, broken information boards and trashed rustic bridges.

He said: "All was looking bleak until an unbelievable intervention from an unexpected source, the Wareham Shedders."

The Shedders are a group of volunteer woodwork enthusiasts who are involved in a wide range of community projects in their workshop, situated in the Purbeck Connect Centre, Sandford Lane, Wareham.

They got to work repairing the damaged bridges, mending the fences and information boards.

Mr Scott said: "On behalf of the trust and our community and many thousands of visitors who have enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of Priory Community Meadow over the years I would like to thank the Wareham Shedders for all the support that they have given us in getting the meadow back into use once more."

As part of the worldwide movement of Shedders the group aims to make useful items for the community, while at the same time giving both expert and novice volunteers a space to work together, share their skills and make new friends.

They are part of the UK Men's Sheds Association.

A spokesman for the national group said: "Men’s Sheds are similar to garden sheds – a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills and enjoy making and mending.

"The difference is that garden sheds and their activities are often solitary in nature while Men’s Sheds are the opposite.

"They’re about social connections and friendship building, sharing skills and knowledge, and of course a lot of laughter.

"Sheds are whatever the members – or Shedders as we call them –want them to be.

"Although labelled sheds, they often aren’t sheds at all. They can be empty offices, portable cabin’s, warehouses, garages, and in at least one case, a disused mortuary."

The Wareham ‘Shed’ meets on Thursday, 1-4pm, and on Friday, 9.30am-12.30pm.

Email them on warehamshed@gmail for information, including how to become a member.