‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ winner announced at national Men’s Sheds Association’s 10th anniversary celebrations
Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed has only gone and won the ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ title for the second year in a row! Representatives from the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) – the national support hub for 200+ Scottish Men’s Sheds and Scotland’s largest member-led men’s health and wellbeing charity – made the big announcement at their gathering and day conference in Perth today (Friday 4th October 2024) to mark the charity’s 10th anniversary.
The event featured a jam-packed day of learning and networking for guest Sheds from all across Scotland before the announcement of the winner of the prestigious ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2024 where the three inspiring finalists – Banff, Breadalbane and Maryburgh Men’s Sheds – received the nail-biting news.
SMSA CEO Jason Schroeder said: “Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed won the title last year and are the first former winner to ever reapply and we are delighted that they did! They have taken the title once again with Maryburgh Men’s Shed coming a close second followed by Breadalbane for our bronze winner.
Bronze Winner – Breadalbane Men’s Shed (above)
Silver Winner – Maryburgh Men’s Shed (right)
“When we launched these awards back in 2019, it was never about winning – every Shed is a winner! The purpose is to raise awareness, celebrate, recognise and reward Scottish Men’s Shed volunteers for the work they are carrying out to improve men’s health and wellbeing and the impact that they are making in their local communities. Since then, the awards have grown tenfold. The tenacity of the Shedders to pull together never ceases to impress me. It is testament to personal and community commitment working selflessly for better quality lives.”
Mr Schroeder presented the winning Shed with the unique and esteemed SMSA targe trophy engraved with the Shed name and displayed in its stand designed and produced by inaugural winner, Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed. Jim Paterson from Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed then revealed a surprise gift – a beautiful and most-fitting award—made of stag horns, Damascus steel, recycled whisky barrels and metal work – for the CEO’s ten years of service to the SMSA and the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement.
Banff Shed will now hold the trophy until next year’s winner is announced. Banff Shed Chairman Bob Copland said: “We have got so much out of the awards last year that we reapplied to support the programme and the SMSA. We really didn’t expect to win again but, now we are over the shock, we are absolutely thrilled!”
Along with the title and trophy, the Shed receives prizes and discounts to support the running of their Shed including a £500 unrestricted cash prize from the SMSA (paid for through SMSA Shed Membership fees); a £150 voucher from Axminster Tools; a £250 voucher from Scotmid Co-operative to keep the guys going for a while in tea and biscuits; a free Machine Competency and Woodwork training day from David Young Training worth £638; and a year’s free accounts package from Thyme Accountants worth £360 to support their Treasurer.
The anniversary event was supported by partners including Morrison Construction, Asda, Costco UK, Tesco and Morrisons. The conference also featured a 3D Printing Showcase by Paul Stewart from Three Towns Men’s Shed; an MOT4Men preventative men’s health workshop delivered by the SMSA; the Community Asset Transfer Process delivered by Community Ownership Support Service (COSS); and Machine Competency and Woodwork Safety delivered by David Young Training.
Dr Danielle Hutcheon and Julie Cowie from Glasgow Caledonian University talked on their new research on the ‘Impacts of Men’s Sheds on the Health and Wellbeing of Working Age Men from Disadvantaged Communities’. Alison Leitch from the Scottish Social Prescribing Network presented on ‘Social Prescribing in Scottish Men’s Sheds’ – and the SMSA announced that they are currently working on guidance to share with their Shed members – and Mark Bloomfield from Axminster Tools also spoke on how they can support Men’s Sheds with advice and discounts to kit out their Shed workshop. Guests were also treated to a pre-tour peek of the ‘Men Don’t Talk’ Play before Pete Lannon, Engagement Officer for Genesis Theatre Productions, highlighted some opportunities available for Sheds to get involved in the upcoming Scottish tour kicking off from the 18th October 2024 by providing some props from their Shed to the venues to give each performance a real feel of a Shed.
The event was made possible thanks to civic hospitality from Perth & Kinross Council. The Association received a civic reception and welcome from Provost Xander McDade and were also joined by Perth & Kinross councillors and senior managers including Vice Lord-Lieutenant Alex Cairncross, Moderator High Constables Society of High Constables Bill Duncan and Lord Dean of Guild Home Euan Begg.
Provost Xander McDade said: “We gathered here today to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association charity and the wonderful volunteers that run Men’s Sheds in their local communities. What has been achieved in ten years is phenomenal – from the launch of the first Scottish Shed in 2013 to now having 203 open or developing Shed groups. They are delivering transformational work and we look forward to seeing even more in the next ten years.”
Head to the Shed – find the Shed closest to you on the SMSA website at www.scottishmsa.org.uk/find-a-shed
