A charity group which has spent years helping schools, communities and councils is now asking for help of its own after being forced to move.

The RWB Shed in Royal Wootton Bassett has spent eight years operating from the town’s fire station on Station Road.

During that time, members who meet to build friendships and promote mental health have also built benches, planters, notice boards, signs and display units for their local council, businesses and schools.

But The Shed was forced to temporarily close in September 2023 when Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service needed the full space back for their operations.

One year on, The RWB Shed has secured a new indoor home in Bassett, but is urgently fundraising £2,000 for a dust extractor to keep woodworking volunteers safe.

At the time of writing, £460 of the £2,000 goal has been fundraised on GoFundMe to help keep The RWB Shed operating.

“Before The RWB Shed lost its previous base of operation, we did all of our hobby work outdoors,” said Phil Howell, treasurer of The RWB Shed.

“After nearly 12 months of searching, we have found a new location where the more mature members of the community can get together for friendship and hobby work, which plays such an important role in mental health and sociability.

“Our new location will be indoors and undercover, which will be a huge improvement.

“However, that brings a new hurdle to climb, as most of our work is of a woodworking nature so there are obviously airborne particles of dust.”

In order to make the new location, which has yet to be revealed, safe for its users the Shed must fork out £4,000 to buy and install a dust extractor.

But with limited funds available, the charity is hoping that those who volunteers have helped in the past will come together to help fundraise half of the cost.

“In addition to our own work, we’ve provided assistance to the local communities, whether it be an individual, playgroup or school, or indeed, our own local Town Council,” added Phil.

“As we are a small group, but with aspirations to grow, we do not have sufficient funds to meet these costs so we are asking our friends and followers to assist us wherever possible.”

Volunteers have been keen to emphasise their gratitude to Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service for allowing them to use the space for eight years, but say seeking alternative sites was always going to be a challenge in the current cost of living crisis.