Chichester Men’s Shed has been awarded a grant of almost £20,000 by the National Lottery Community Fund. The grant will assist in the development and equipment of the two workshops and the social space.

Ray is a true Cicestrian. He was born, in 1950, in Little London, in the centre of the City. He attended the Lancastrian School, starting in the Infants which was, at that time, in Tower Street.

I was born near Manchester in 1935, but my parents moved within the year to Rugby where my mother was born. I spent my childhood and was educated there. In my late teens, I moved to London and was articled to a leading firm of Chartered Accountants.

1934 seems to have been a popular year for Chichester shedders to enter the world - me too! I am a Brummie but I remember little of that City until my family returned from Hinkley where we were evacuated for the War years.

Like our chairman I also was born in 1934 but in Finchley, London but at 18 months moved to Ruislip, then in Middlesex when my parents opened a “High-class Tobacconist and Confectionery” shop, their words.

Ruislip was a splendid place to grow up as a child and with a gang of boys we had playing fields…

The final contents of the CS having been removed Shedders were able to have access on 1st May. Despite this being a Bank Holiday, no fewer than 6 Shedders…

I was born in 1934 in my maternal grandparents’ house which had a profound effect on my later life; the house overlooked a railway line…