Religious Sheds Week: Ecotoilets

The fine folk at Lutterworth-based Ecotoilets (experts in all aspects of dry and composting toilets) have got into the spirit of Religious Sheds Week and sent in these wonderful examples of church-based sheditecture. Here's what Richard Saillet from Ecotoilets says about them:

"The smaller 'gargoyle' one [pictured top] offering a waterless toilet in its own shed was supplied to the Churches Conservation Trust to allow them to offer 'Champing' (Church Camping) at a church at Albury, near Guildford, as a means to raise funds to maintain redundant churches. This has proved so successful they are planning to offer more churches this year and we are providing similar cabins for those that don't have facilities.

"The larger two were installed in the grounds of the St Germans Priory in Cornwall and offer full disabled toilet facilities for visitors to this lovely listed Priory which is quite a tourist attraction not far from Plymouth."

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Religious Shed Week: Hayes Pastures Farm B&B

For the third instalment of this week's religious sheds festival, we've entered the cobwebby Shedworking time machine to hurtle back to 2009 when we featured Muriel Richards who runs Hayes Pastures Farm B&B in Worcestershire and the property's shedlike chapel built in their back garden. Here's a reminder of what we said then:

It's taken them a couple of years and £25,000 to build what their local vicar has named The Chapel of the Crosses where there is room for a respectable 12 in the congregation. It measures 8ft x 12ft and has everything you'd expect including stained glass, pews, and a large bronze crucifixion figure: much of the interior has been recycled from old church buildings from around the country. Commendably, the doors are never locked and guests at the B&B can use it whenever they want to visit. There is a Holy Communion Service there held by the Parish Vicar at 9.30am on the fifth Tuesday of the month.

There are some nice photos of a Good Friday service there in 2015 at the Redditch Advertiser including worshippers carrying a cross up the hill to the church.

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Religious Sheds Week: The Priory Chapel And Cathedral Church Of Our Lady

Continuing this week's religious theme, another new entry for this year's Shed of the Year competition is the Priory Chapel of the Congregation of Brothers of the Merciful Love of God (and also the Cathedral Church of the Bishop of the Ecumenical Catholic Church UK).

A private place of worship in a domestic home in Portsmouth, the Priest Administrator is Fr Julian Kent, CFMD, ordained in the Anglican Church of Australia and now incardinated into the United Ecumenical Catholic Church, UK Diocese. Full sung services are celebrated regularly, usually traditional in style and according to the English Missal and the Book of Common Prayer (1662), typically Solemn Mass and Solemn Evening Prayer with Benediction, at which attendance is by personal invitation. 

As well as the daily Mass, the Parish Mass is offered here on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays of the month. Other sacraments and services may be arranged by request, including Baptism, Confirmation (by consultation with the bishop), Confessions (Sacrament of Reconciliation), Requiem Mass, Funerals, home/hospital visits, home Communion, Holy Anointing, prayers for particular need or thanksgiving. 

It was originally built as a garage and converted in 2012. The Rood Screen was built from parts of the 19th century former organ case from New College, Oxford. Now, it can seat up to 20 people, including the Bishop on his throne.  Lots more photos, including the conversion work, at the Priory Chapel's Facebook page. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Religious Sheds Week: Hilda

We're running a week-long series of posts over the next five days celebrating the overlap between sheds and religion. To start us off, here is 'Hilda' (more images at the link) entered this year for the first time in the Shed of the Year competition, a shepherd's hut converted into a prayer shed. It includes a sofa bed and woodburning stove. Named after St Hilda of Whitby (among whose nuns in the order at Sneaton Castle in Whitby is the Shedworking editor's cousin, factfans), here's what owner Rob Hilton says about it:

"As a church minister the Shepherding link seemed appropriate. Somewhere to retreat to, shelter and rest, also in some ways a monastic cell for prayer, mindfulness and stillness. Built almost entirely from recycled material, I learnt to weld to create the chassis, used old victorian wheels, and discovered farmer's suppliers as both friendly and very cheap for the material I did have to buy. Named after St Hilda of Whitby, a Seventh Century British Christian."

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Storm Doris vs garden offices and sheds

This garden office has been far out at sea all day
The daffodils crashing through darkness, the booming hydrangea
Winds stampeding the WiFi…

— Tom Chatfield (@TomChatfield) February 23, 2017

I am feeling a tad vulnerable in my garden office right now! There's way too much crashing going on out there for my liking! #stormdoris pic.twitter.com/QYzhTWWn2W

— Mel's British Voice (@MelsBritishVOs) February 23, 2017

High winds are always a bit unnerving for shedworkers... And indeed for all shedowners generally as this marvellous roundup from that Uncle Wilco shows below. How has #StormDoris had an effect on the #sheds of the UK --------------------------------------------------------

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'Garden office' coworking space: Second Home, Lisbon

Putting the 'garden' in 'garden office' is Second Home's new coworking space in Lisbon, put together by architects SelgasCano, the folk behind this stylish forest shedworking project. At 1,115 square metres it's a little bigger than your normal garden office since it's inside the old 19th century Mercado Da Ribeira market and it features more than 1,000 potplants, trees, and other greenery.
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Can I claim tax relief for a garden office?

A useful short guide to this thorny subject is available at Northamptonshire-based KRW Accountants' website but in summary they argue that:

1. Tax relief cannot usually be claimed on the cost of a garden office building
2. However, tax relief can be claimed on furnishings and equipment used in the building
3. Capital allowances can also be claimed on thermal insulation and some wiring/plumbing
4. Tax relief can be claimed on running costs, such as heating, lighting and repairs
5. VAT can be reclaimed on the costs of the building itself and the ongoing running costs

Well worth a browse.

Image: Bespoke garden office courtesy of Alfresco Arch ----------------------------------------------------

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