Tag: Christmas

Protect Your New Wheels: Join Our Free Post-Christmas Bike Security Event

Did you wake up to a shiny new bicycle under the tree this Christmas? Or perhaps you’re looking to better protect the trusty bike you’ve had for years?

While a new bike is an exciting gift, the reality of bike theft can put a damper on the holiday spirit. We want to ensure your new wheels stay yours. That’s why we are hosting a free Bike Security Marking Event right after the holidays in Petersfield.

How Bike Marking Protects You

In just a few minutes, we can significantly increase the security of your bicycle using modern technology.

We will apply a specialized, tamper-resistant QR Code to your bike’s frame. This code links directly to a secured national police database containing your ownership details.

Why do this?

  • It’s a major deterrent: Thieves know that marked bikes are harder to sell and easier to identify. They often avoid them entirely.
  • It makes your bike traceable: If your bike is unfortunately stolen and later recovered by the Police anywhere in the country, they can scan the code in seconds to identify you as the owner and return it.

Event Details

Pop down and join us to give your bike the best chance of staying safe. The process is quick, easy, and open to cyclists of all ages.

  • Date: Sunday, 28th December 2025
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
  • Location: Petersfield Men’s Shed (16 Heath Road, Petersfield, GU31 4DU)
  • Cost: FREE! (While there is no charge for the service, voluntary donations to the Men’s Shed are always appreciated).

No booking is necessary—just drop in between 10 am and noon. Please help us spread the word by sharing this information with other local cyclists!

Christmas & New Year Opening Hours

We are pleased to confirm the Petersfield Men’s Shed opening times for the festive period. We know this time of year can be quiet for some, so we are keeping the doors open as much as possible.

Here’s our schedule:

Christmas Eve: Normal hours
Christmas Day: CLOSED
Boxing Day: CLOSED
27th December onwards: Normal hours
New Year’s Eve: Normal hours
New Year’s Day: Normal hours
2nd January onwards: Normal hours resume

Whether you’re looking for some company, want to get involved in a project, or simply need a break from the festivities, our doors are open.

Come and join us for a cuppa and a chat.

Update 23 December 2022

Boy, we’ve been busy! 

We took possession of 16 Heath Road, Petersfield in October, the premises consisting of a house, 2 large garden sheds and grounds. Since then, we have: 

  • Sorted the bigger shed with new windows and door, removed partition walls, made good, decorated, and are now running new electrics, lighting, and installing work benches and major equipment to create our woodworking shed. 
  • Upstairs in the house, we have cleaned and re-laid all the carpet tiles found in the sheds to the bedrooms and landing and have re-purposed donated office furniture and desks (mostly from Swan Medical Group) to create our IT Suite, Electronics Suite, and a Shed Office.  
  • Downstairs in the house, we have created a Social Room (again with donated chairs and lots of woodworking magazines for inspiration), the kitchen is almost sorted with a donated cooker and many utensils, and we now hold a Social every Friday morning; do please come along. 
  • Our signage is all up including an amazing oak sign made by member John. You may notice we have named the Shed after one of the founder members John Ide, who sadly passed before seeing our efforts come to fruition. 
  • The grounds have received an initial tidy ready for a garden group to take over next Spring. Who knows, we could grow our own veg and entering garden competitions?! 
  • We have yet to start work on the smaller shed as this has been predominately used to store the many donations of equipment, we have received for which we thank each and every one. Our plan is to create a metal work room here, more news later. 
  • The management committee has changed and grown: 
    • Michael Cowen has taken over from John Liddall for Membership, (thanks to John for his past efforts), 
    • Mike Bookham has taken over from Simon Brown for IT, (again our thanks to Simon for his past efforts), 
    • Malcolm Wigmore has joined for Donations and Sponsorships, 
    • Peter Reeves joined and has led the woodworking shed development, 
    • Martin How joined and will lead a team of Key Holders who will gradually increase our opening days, again watch this space, 
    • We are still looking for someone to take over as Secretary from Neil Slatter. 
  • Membership to Petersfield Men’s Shed is now fully open so do please take a look at us and we hope to welcome you as a new member soon: a membership form can be found at https://petersfieldmensshed.org.uk/membership/.

As you can see, busy, busy! 

Progress has been amazing, all thanks to the many volunteer members giving their hands, expertise, skills, and time.  

We are now starting to plan a proper launch of the Shed, inviting all those who have helped us along the way, local dignitaries, and hopefully John Ide’s widow Patricia to cut the ribbon and officially open us. We are aiming at late January/ early February so again keep watching. 

Lastly, I wish everyone involved or connected to Petersfield Men’s Shed and their families, a very merry Christmas and Happy 2023. 

Steven Watts
Chairman