Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood Men’s Shed (KBMS) member Alex Hunter—a Ministry of Defence veteran in his mid-70s with a newfound passion for bodging garden planters—reflects on the impact that the Shed has had on him.
Alex said: “I joined KBMS when it first started up in 2019. We all had a meeting in the local community centre and the place was full with people keen to have their very own local Men’s Shed.
“Forms were handed out asking for our contacts details and to list what we were interested in, good at and what we did in our day-to-day and working lives. I put myself down as a ‘bodger’ cause everything I do is a bodge, if you know what I mean?
“I certainly couldn’t make furniture for a house. I’m just not that neat and finished, but I was never into joinery or carpentry. I had zero woodwork experience and was Ministry of Defence Police for 23 years and before that, a light house keeper, and prior to that I was in the Royal Air Force (RAF). But now that I am in that Shed, oh, I’m right into it.
“The stuff I’ve made in the Shed is unbelievable, for me, and I’m very happy with it. I like to undertake projects like garden planters, after all if there are any wee mistakes—nobody notices, because it’s sitting out in the garden anyway!
“Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Thursday night, I’m at that Shed. I would say I’m one of the best attendees because I like it so much. And, the company is fantastic—we all get on so well and are all now really good friends.
“It is a fact that I simply would not be living such a happy and fulfilled life in my 70s without the Men’s Shed—it is a huge part of my life”.
– Alex Hunter, Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood Men’s Shed
“We work closely with our neighbouring Shed, Coalburn Men’s Shed too which started up about two years behind us. We helped them out and have remained pals ever since. We’re a good mixture of men, good friends and we look after each other.
“It is a fact that I simply would not be living such a happy and fulfilled life in my 70s without the Men’s Shed—it is a huge part of my life.
“Because I was a storeman in the RAF, I’m also in charge of the stores – mainly the biscuits. It is a responsibility to be taken very seriously—biccies are kept under tight lock and key to make sure the members eat plain biscuits some days and not just the choccy ones!
“I also manage the Shed’s Walking Tours in the good weather from April through to September. We’ve got four different historical walks that we do around the villages where we get groups of up to six to go on a leisurely walk. Every one of our popular walks can be done in under two hours and at an easy pace for all whilst we explain the ‘now and then’ – what’s there now and what used to be there many years ago.
“We look at everything in our surrounding community during the walk and we show pictures to compare the past with present day. We have produced folders upon folders containing all of the photographs and settings. We explain the history of our villages and there is a brilliant uptake for it. We are even educating some of the people that have lived here for decades and this all adds to the enjoyment!
“Without the Shed, I really would be lost. I never want to be stuck in the house looking at four walls or watching mind-numbing daytime television, do you? I want to get out and about, keeping myself busy enough and just have a really good time—and the Shed provides just that for me.”