Garnock Valley Men’s Shed

Background/History

Garnock Valley Men’s Shed (GVMS) is a charity – Scottish charity number SC048386 – that addresses men’s health, loneliness and social isolation in the Garnock Valley locality of North Ayrshire. We provide free workshop space and access to free food in a sociable, friendly and welcoming environment designed to encourage men to connect with other like-minded individuals and the wider community.

We encourage men to become more active more often by involving them in a variety of projects that build confidence and promote good health. We tackle loneliness and isolation through providing activities that encourage men to engage with other men and the wider community in an inclusive and safe environment, thereby empowering them to become more capable and resilient.

We are currently in the final stage of our local authority’s community asset transfer process and hope to secure a 25-year lease on the Shed soon. We took over a derelict building, which had no running water, no toilet and a roof which leaked like a sieve, on a temporary occupation licence. Over a two-year period we have transformed it from a liability into an asset. With the support of a significant range of funding bodies, we have undertaken extensive renovation works to build a brand-new toilet, refit our kitchen, build a bespoke scale-modelling facility and create a reception area from scratch.

Currently the building is undergoing extensive roof repairs and we have plans to transform another part of the building into a state-of-the-art social area. All of this could not have taken place without the skills, knowledge and experience of our fantastic team of Shedders who have continually gone above and beyond to make the shed what it is today – a shining example of men who know stuff, who do stuff, and who help other men to build their confidence, improve their mental health and become more socially connected.

Achievements

• Volunteer Group of The Year 2019 at The Ayrshire Community Trust Awards;
• Three-year Business Plan developed;
• Scotland’s Learning Award from Scotland’s Learning Partnership at Holyrood;
• Community Asset Transfer almost complete from North Ayrshire Council;
• Reception area built from scratch by Shedders through community benefit assistance by local company, Andrew Wright Glazing;
• Toilet refurbishment completed by Shedders and local companies through community benefit assistance from Barr Environmental Ltd;
• Kitchen fitted and equipped by Shedders through donations;
• Refurbishment of children’s garden at Kilbirnie Library;
• Shedders involvement as volunteers at the ParkLives food initiative;
• Dr Bike initiative – 50 bikes repaired for local people on low incomes;
• Provision of food storage for Cafe Solace, a group who assist people with addictions;
• Lockdown Models Project;
• Connecting Scotland iPads, internet connection and support provided for eight Shedders

Challenges/Barriers

The biggest barriers we faced were having no running water and no toilet facilities. These were huge problems that took a long time to resolve. We involved everyone we could think of in trying to solve the issue of our water connection, including local councillors, MSP, MP and the Chief Executive of North Ayrshire Council, but complications with the supply at roadside between two different companies was proving to be a stalemate. Until one of our trustees insisted that we go “Straight to the top!” We then wrote a letter to the Chief Executive of Scottish Water explaining our predicament. Within two days, workmen came out to the roadside and re-connected us.

Additionally, we had inherited a derelict building with dilapidated toilet facilities. The men had no toilet to use, except in the library next door, and many were choosing not to attend the Shed as a result. We resolved this issue by inviting a local building company, who had a contract with the local authority, to provide some community benefit. They contributed the £5,400 to have the toilets renovated. Finally, we had a fully functioning toilet with automatic lighting and a warm air hand dryer.

Impact on Local Community

Our Shed has become well-known throughout Garnock Valley as a group that will undertake jobs and initiatives for community groups and organisations, as well as schools and libraries. A great example of this was the group of Shedders who formed the Barrmill Task Force. Headed up by Shed Manager Fred Brown, the task force undertook an 8-week gardening and landscaping project in a neighbouring village. Shedders took part in a variety of projects that assisted Barrmill Conservation Group to transform Barrmill’s Vale Grove Community Garden and feedback from residents and participants has been very encouraging, with all wishing to participate in a follow-up John Muir Award project at Barrmill after lockdown that involves bee-keeping.

Another project in the pipeline, before lockdown delays, includes the renovation of playground equipment at a local primary school in the neighbouring village of Gateside. As a result of these initiatives and the reputation we have developed in the community, we have been approached to take on the development of a new community garden at a vacant and derelict site in Kilbirnie town centre.

Leading Light

Fred Brown, our Workshop Manager would be the prime candidate as a leading light. Formerly a joiner, who lost his vision in one eye as a result of a domestic accident, Fred has assiduously applied himself to making the most of his skills, knowledge and extensive work and life experience for the benefit of others. For more than a year now, he has taken one of our Shedders – formerly homeless and a rough sleeper with addiction issues – under his wing and made it his mission to rehabilitate him. Suffering from extremely low confidence and self-esteem, this Shedder rarely ventured outside to engage with neighbours and services. Finding himself increasingly socially isolated, he started using the Shed as a diversionary activity to keep himself usefully occupied and away from his addictions.

From its inception, GVMS has provided opportunities for men to learn from the skills, knowledge and experience of other men, and this Shedder soon applied himself to building and restoring wooden garden planters and raised flower beds. Soon after, he found that his products could be sold to generate income for the Shed. Throughout this journey, Fred worked with the Shedder on evenings and weekends when the Shed was closed to undertake a wide variety of renovation works, often formulating new projects purely to keep the rehabilitation process going. Slowly but surely, the confidence and self-esteem of the Shedder increased to such a level that he began to re-engage with the wider community, where he now volunteers at a number of projects outside of the shed and is our “Go-to Guy” for wooden planters and garden sheds.

Going Above and Beyond

Our Shedders went above and beyond for a local dementia respite centre, Anam Cara. We arranged a special woodworking course to build memory boxes for men whose lives were impacted by memory loss. Shedders bent over backwards to source materials, tutor the men and provide partner agencies to facilitate the decoration of the boxes, often over-running the opening hours of the Shed and local library. Photos were taken during the course that were then presented to the men, along with certificates, which became the first items to be placed in their completed memory boxes. We got so much back from this experience, which was an emotional labour of love for us.

Staying Connected During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Probably the single biggest achievement of GVMS since September 2019 has been the way in which we have ensured communication and support for Shedders during lockdown. Our Shed Manager, Fred Brown, has been instrumental in this. In anticipation of lockdown, he created a private Facebook group for the Modellers Club, which has continued to meet weekly throughout the period. Fred has also ensured regular communication with other Shedders using a variety of methods, and has provided support, information and guidance to many. Additionally, our Board of Trustees has met fortnightly on Zoom from the start of lockdown, coordinating funding applications and organising building works in absentia.

The Trustees ensured that our fully up to date membership list was used to contact every Shedder with news of developments and offers of support and assistance. Additionally, another of our trustees, Johannes Jensson, has kept our members and the wider community updated with the latest developments through Facebook. Consequently, this has enabled the Shed to operate relatively successfully, albeit at a reduced capacity.

With support from North Ayrshire Council, we applied to Foundation Scotland and received funding for our Lockdown Models project. This was targeted at men who are shielding or suffering isolation and has been a very effective method of outreach and engagement. In partnership with the local Community Hub, free model kits and a toolbox with modelling tools are delivered, free of charge, to men across the Valley – giving them a constructive, therapeutic activity that can be used by themselves or completed with other family members in the comfort of their own homes. These kits are also accompanied by a series of video tutorials, filmed by Fred, and an invite to meet with us on Zoom for support to build their new model kit. As well as providing model building hints and tips, the Zoom sessions are providing a safe space for isolated men to get together, share their experiences of lockdown and support each other through the period.

Furthermore, they are engaging with non-Shed members, who will potentially become members when the Shed re-opens. These sessions are ongoing and set to continue until we can meet face-to-face, in a socially-distanced way of course.

Future plans

• Bee-keeping course and construction of new bee hives in Barrmill;
• Connecting Scotland – Shedders with free iPads will become less isolated and be able to communicate with us and the outside world, thus improving their life chances and boosting their connectivity with support networks and services;
• Christmas Extravaganza on Zoom – Christmas Quiz, Show and Tell and Stand-Up Comedy slot. Free Christmas gifts will include Tesco voucher for a Christmas Meal, quiz prizes, information on Money Matters advice, Housing Support and GVMS branded goods such as facemasks, hats and Christmas socks;
• Creating a new social area in our “Tin Shed” extension;
• Securing funding for a biomass heating system;
• Group exhibition at the Scottish National Scale Modelling Show;
• But most of all: provision of the best men’s health facility in the Garnock Valley, where formerly isolated men can find belonging, fulfil their potential and thrive as a truly integral part of their local community!