Redditch Community Shed: Pensioner's stunning doll house

Jasmine Dale, from Crabbs Cross in Redditch, made it her New Year's resolution to find something to do outside her home and meet new people.

The 74-year-old lives alone and said she recently spent 85 per cent of her time alone.

She said: "I have been a crafter for many years and it is how I spent my time.

"In January this year, I made a New Year's resolution to try to find something to do outside my home which would allow me to meet new people.

"An acquaintance suggested the shed community, which I had never heard of, after Googling it I found the Redditch Community Shed".

Inside the doll house (Image: Jasmine Dale) The Redditch Community Shed is a charity based at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, located outside on Georgian Walk, which provides a space for woodworking and crafting.

Jasmine decided to give it a try and immediately found something at the workshop that piqued her interest.

She said: "I went along to find out more about it and whilst there noticed a partially built doll house. I was told that it had been donated the previous year but that none of the current members (mostly men) had been interested in taking it on as a project. I immediately joined and said that it would be my project.

"It turned out to be a 4-storey, 13-room Georgian mansion dolls house, the basement level, which was a separate component, had been partially built but the rest was flat packed plain wood.

"I built the mansion, wallpapered and painted it maintaining the Georgian influence.

"I also made furniture and accessories for every room, except the 2 bathrooms as trying to make those was a bit too much of a challenge so I bought those.

"I completed it in four months and it is now in the window of the Shed".

She said that people passing have been drawn to it and as a result have come in asking about the group.

The doll house is being displayed in the window of the Redditch Community Shed (Image: Jasmine Dale) She added: The Redditch Community Shed is a charity and it is part of the larger men's shed group which was set up originally to help retired men who, once retired, lost their social group and found themselves lost.

"The Redditch Shed was called a Community Shed so that it was open to women joining as well, but currently there are only a small number of women.

"For me it has been awesome and I have no doubt that there are many pensioners like myself who are alone and would welcome somewhere to come to have company and activities that they can enjoy, both men and women.

The Redditch Community Shed can be found in the square just through the doors by the side of Primark.

The cost is £5 per month membership and a sessional fee of £2 each visit.