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Okay it’s not The Oscars… but in our opinion, it’s even better! That’s right, the awards season that really matters is finally here—we’re talking about Shed of the Year 2020. And this year the UK lockdown has taken the nation’s garden summer houses and log cabins to new heights of creativity.
The competition
The Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition is a big deal. It’s a ‘celebration of the great British shed in all its forms—from the miniature to the massive, the modern to the traditional’.
Thousands of people enter the competition, and judges have already whittled down the entries to create a shortlist of 27 sheds.
The winner from each category will be decided by a public vote, and then a panel of shed experts (yes, they’re a thing, and we consider ourselves shed experts, too—maybe we’ll get to judge the 2021 Shed of the Year!) will be crowned with a giant golden crown, receive a £1,000 prize and a plaque, and will also be given £100 of Cuprinol products.
The categories
The Cuprinol Shed of the Year has nine categories in total, but this year the categories are a little different. Because of the coronavirus pandemic and UK lockdown, people have turned to their homes, gardens and sheds in ways they hadn’t before, which has led to two brand new categories for the Shed of the Year in 2020.
The first is Lockdown Repurpose, for people who have transformed their existing shed in response to the pandemic.
The second is Lockdown New-Build, for the people who’ve built a new garden shed completely from scratch.
Our pandemic heroes
The coronavirus pandemic has been extremely challenging for all of us in many ways, and it’s wonderful that people have taken solace in their gardens and sheds, creating their own sanctuaries in their gardens.
But the new categories are not just to showcase people’s creativity during this difficult time, but to honour the functionality and value that these spaces can bring at a time when our usual society has been put on hold.
“More than ever, the events of recent months have shown us what a valuable role sheds can play in our lives,” said Andrew Wilcox, Head Judge and founder of the Shed of the Year competition.
He went on to say that our garden sheds are spaces where we can “help our NHS heroes, educate our children and care for our family. They highlight all that is great about Britain—our ingenuity, eccentricity and determination to help others.”
The shortlist
Some of the inspiring people who’ve made this year’s shortlist:
Sarah McGoldrick, who responded to the PPE shortage by supplying frontline NHS staff with visors made in her shed workshop in Sheffield.
Ashley Bates, a teacher who created The Shed School, a free online educational platform for key stage one pupils.
Pat Crook, who recreated a relaxing beach hut to provide soothing surroundings for her father, who suffers from dementia.
Public voting is now underway will close on Sunday 9 August. If you’re looking at building a log cabin or summer garden house in the UK, get in touch today.
Author – Martin Corby
Disclaimer: This information is subject to change and as such, is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Readers are encouraged to verify the details independently.
