We are delighted and rather shocked to win The Community Group Award at the BBC Berkshire Make a Difference Awards ceremony in Reading on the 17th September. The full write up is here:

BBC Radio Berkshire Make a Difference Awards winners announced – BBC News

It was lovely to celebrate with Engine Shed team members who have been attending sessions for over 15 years. Thank you to our nominators, The John Sykes Foundation, our volunteers and everyone who keeps The Engine Shed running, donating trains, helping on the day, tidying up and being part of our community. We look forward to celebrating at our next community session.

We were delighted to receive a grant from the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which will support us with £1600 a year over the next three years. A team representing the Foundation visited a community session in late January and learned more about The Engine Shed. We received this coverage below in the local press:

Berkshire PGL donates nearly £5,000 to The Engine Shed – Reading Today Online

The Engine Shed in Reading is having its Christmas session on Saturday 14 December!

Free to attend, no need to book.

• 10 am to 12 midday for those ten years and under.

• 12 to 2pm for those 11 years and over, up to 17 years.

Join us at 12b Southview Park, Reading RG4 5AF for some festive fun to round off the year!

Some of the Reading group may remember Tom Stephenson who flew into Reading from Seattle in 2020 and donated his bespoke handmade and carved track and layouts which are a firm favourite with the group. On 10th October Tom and his wife Annette ‘dropped by’ to donate the most beautiful handmade layout we have EVER seen. The pictures do not do the layout justice; the attention to detail is amazing.

Tom, an engineer, found us on the internet about five years ago, and decided he would support us with his layouts from 6,000 miles away. He has now dropped by twice with his handmade play resources. It was quite emotional watching him unpack this work of art for our Engine Shed family. What a world

We had two great summer trips this year – to Lord McAlpine’s estate at Fawley Hill, near Henley, and to the High Wycombe Model Engineering Society. Thank you to both organisations for looking after us, and for making us feel so welcome. We had lots of train rides, and many cups of tea.

Train rides on a very hot day at the Fawley Hill Estate, August 2024

Lunch and train rides at Holmer Green, near High Wycombe, August 2024

We are delighted to win a grant to support Engine Shed sessions for this financial year 2024 to 2025. The grant of £3900 will help us with rent and running costs and ensure that we can make the most of our new unit in Reading, with sessions for all ages. We are very grateful for this support.

We are having a fundraising Open Day on Wednesday 10 April for the general public, of all ages! Come and play on our fantastic layouts – Hornby, G gauge and others. £5 entry. Refreshments available.

Timing 10 am to 3pm. Venue: Engine Shed Unit, 12b Southview Park, Caversham RG4 5AF

Free Parking outside or in the neighbouring streets for two hours.

We are so pleased to receive a grant of £6,000 from the Postcode Society Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The grant will help with rental and utility costs at our new home in Reading. Here our layouts are permanently on display and we will be able to run more sessions throughout the month. Contact us if you would like to volunteer at our new space in Reading.

More information on the grant funder and their activities can be found here:  www.postcodesocietytrust.org.uk and People Postcode Lottery www.postcodelottery.co.uk