People power is bringing a Grand Designs style project to life today.
Some 20 volunteers are joining forces to raise the timbers of a shelter being built for a community garden in Alice Park.
The shelter will allow more activities to take place outside whatever the weather, and also gave a chance for volunteers to hone their carpentry skills.
It sits next door to a popular community garden complete with raised beds and fruit trees.
"It is our third year of the community garden and when we first started there was nothing here, although I understand historically it was a kitchen garden for the gardener who lived in the lodge.
"It has come full circle," said Kathy Cook from the management committee.
"We asked the council if we could have the space and they told us to apply and we came up with a plan on the back of an envelope.
"It was rather hastily made into a growing space with the little bit of money we were given spent on raised beds and fruit trees.
"People can come and run courses, an outside playgroup meets here and schools come and bring children down, and we realised it wasn't just a garden but a social space that people can use.
"We were fortunate to get a grant from the Big Lottery for the shelter which is a huge thing for us because we were spending all our time putting up tarpaulins or the gazebo."
Volunteers include local residents, people interested in a more eco friendly lifestyle and students from Norton Radstock College's Green Skills Academy.
Clare Walter, carpentry and joinery teacher at the college, said her students were really benefitting from the hands-on experience.
She said: "One student is a cabinet maker, one wants to build a structure at home and we also have three architects who want to understand how these types of building go up and how they can better work with other people.
"I have been a timber framer since 1990 and it is always good to be able to pass on skills and train people to make beautiful buildings for themselves."
Volunteer Terry Leytham said she was happy to spend her Saturday sawing up bits of timber for the building.
"I volunteer for the garden but haven't been able to do much lately because of the weather so it's good to be involved in this," she said.
The grant came from the Big Lottery Community Spaces and more volunteers are needed to help finish the shelter.
"We really do need lots of help to finish what we've started and people can come forward and give us a couple of hours helping with things like laying shingle paths," added Ms Cook.
"The people here (already involved in the project) have come forward and taken up the cause and have learned some traditional skills and things they can do at home.
"It helps with self sufficiency and gives people the confidence to feel they can do it themselves.
Anyone interested can email kathy@aliceparkcommunitygarden.org.
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