SMSA 'Scottish Men’s
Shed of the Year Awards
THE ‘SCOTTISH MEN’S SHED OF THE YEAR’ AWARDS 2025 ARE NOW OPEN!
The ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ awards recognise and reward the contribution and impact Men’s Sheds make to society—telling the story to raise awareness of the benefits of Sheds to men, their family and friends and the community as a whole.
Every summer, the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) opens its prestigious ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards to applications from Men’s Sheds across Scotland.
The SMSA launched the awards in 2019 to celebrate and showcase the life-changing work being carried out across the nation from Sheds committed to improving the health and wellbeing of men (aged 18 and over) through friendship, support and camaraderie.
The awards also afford the opportunity to find out about the challenges faced by Sheds and how they overcame them so that others can learn from their experience. Our runner-up finalists and winner receive an array of prizes.
New regional process announced for ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2025
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) – Scotland’s largest member-led men’s health and wellbeing charity – has today opened its ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ 2025 awards programme to applications from Scottish Men’s Sheds with a new regional twist.
The SMSA’s awards programme is now in its seventh year and endeavours to recognise, reward and promote the contribution Sheds make to our communities across Scotland and the huge life-changing impact that they have on the men that attend them.
SMSA CEO Jason Schroeder, said: “Our awards programme began back in 2019 and the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement has grown considerably since then. Now, with the engagement of 10,000+ men through over 200 open or developing Shed groups across all 32 local authority areas (identified on our online ‘Find a Shed’ map), we felt it was definitely time for a rejig of the process to simplify it and make it more appealing to encourage more Sheds to apply.
“We have listened to our members’ feedback and this year, have introduced five regional categories – East Coast (North), East Coast (South), West Coast (North), West Coast (South) and Highlands & Islands and will have one regional winner for each. This way, five Scottish Sheds will receive the prestige of a regional title as well as be in the running for the winner’s title.
“In previous years, applications were ‘blind’ judged by the SMSA Board—meaning that all references to places, names etc were removed beforehand to ensure unbiased decisions and scoring by the SMSA Trustees. With this new process, we will assign one SMSA Development Officer and one SMSA Trustee (who work outwith that region) to review the applications and decide on a finalist for each of the five regions.
“In addition to the new regional heats, we revisited the application process. Everyone dislikes completing lengthy application forms and with our new and improved process, we have streamlined our online application and stripped it right back to just two key qualitative questions to get down to the nitty gritty of the impact that these Sheds are making to their members and communities. We have also added in a choice for Sheds to send in video responses to the questions, instead of written answers, and involve their fellow members and Trustees and stakeholders in their film making.
“It is important to emphasise that applicant Shed’s do not need to have been open for several years or be non-stop in the newspapers. As we have seen from our 2023 and 2024 double winner – new ‘Shed on the Block’ Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed – you could have newly opened or be a developing Shed and still make an immense positive impact in your local community.
“The Shed model is a commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of all men (aged 18 and over) through friendship, support, activities and personal and community projects and we want to hear about your Shed’s journey so far. The awards programme will celebrate and showcase the connections and camaraderie taking place to combat social isolation, loneliness and boredom for our Scottish men.”
The application window for 2025 opened on Monday 14th April and will close at noon on Friday 18th July. Scottish Sheds – that are members of the SMSA – can apply. Five regional Sheds will be selected by Friday 25th July. Three finalist Sheds will be announced the week of the 4th August before opening to voting from SMSA individual members on Friday 29th August before closing on Friday 19th September.
The winner and two runner-up Sheds will be announced at the SMSA gathering, AGM and awards event on Friday 3rd October 2025 at Perth & Kinross Council Chambers. Fourth and fifth place Sheds will receive the regional title, a certificate and £250 towards Shed running costs from the SMSA. The three finalist Sheds will receive their own regional title, targe trophy, certificate and an array of prizes from SMSA and awards sponsors and supporters to support their Shed.
OUR PREVIOUS WINNERS:
2024 Winner
In October 2024 at the SMSA’s national gathering and awards event, Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed claimed the title for the second year in a row!
2023 Winner
Despite only officially opening in October 2023, 'New Shed on the Block' Banff, Macduff & District Men's Shed celebrated double triumph not only claiming the 2023 title but also being crowned the inaugural winner of 'Battle of the Shed Bands'.
Commenting on the award, Shed Chairman Bob Copland, said: “We are absolutely gobsmacked, we really did not expect to be shortlisted let alone win. We are overwhelmed, and thankful to the SMSA, for the amount of publicity and interest that the awards have drummed up for us. Thanks go to each of our members for everything they do to make the Shed a success and to every single person that voted for us.”
2022 Winner
Men’s Shed Govan took home the title in 2022. Men’s Shed Govan Chairman Martin Haddow, said: “We are delighted to win this award. We have purposefully offered a wide and varied range of activities to meet our members’ needs – after all, not everyone likes woodwork and that is not the be all and end of Men’s Sheds. There is such a strong sense of camaraderie and the Shed has improved the quality of lives of its members by giving them a purpose, people to talk to and things to try and do. We are extremely proud to have turned a previously derelict nursery and undeveloped outdoor space that was being used as a dumping ground into a vital resource for our community that is hugely benefitting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of 70+ members.”
2021 Winner
Westhill & District Men’s Shed—the first-ever Men’s Shed in Scotland—claimed the title in 2021. David Thomson said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this prestigious title that recognises the achievements, over the last eight years, from our extremely active and committed Board of Trustees and members. We have grown significantly over the years and now welcome over 300 members through our doors—averaging nearly 100 member visits per week.”
2020 Winner
In 2020, The Inverclyde Shed was crowned 'Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ – receiving 36% of the total votes from the public. On winning the award, Shed Trustee Bruce Newlands said: “It was a huge surprise being awarded this title from the SMSA, particularly given the difficulties we and every Shed experienced learning to live with COVID-19. The award has helped unlock doors and make new partnerships with a range of people that we previously had not connected with. Many other Sheds have reached out in friendship to learn from how we’ve done things and the lessons we have learned. The award has also brought a great sense of pride to our Shed and our area—a belief that we can be confident that we are really making a difference.”
2019 Winner
In 2019, Aberchirder and District Men’s Shed scooped the title of the very first ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’. The Shed was recognised for the incredible work carried out since its inception in 2016 and the team of seven men who carried out 30,000 man-hours over the 104-week construction process on its Shed build before its official opening in May 2019. Mike O’Brien from Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed, said: “Since winning the title in 2019, we have had a busy and successful time—our reputation just seemed to escalate and we have recently won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service too.”
