The SMSA becomes a member of Unforgotten Forces

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is pleased to announce that it is now an official member of the Unforgotten Forces consortium.

Unforgotten Forces, led by Age Scotland, is a partnership of armed forces and civilian charities working together to deliver a ‘one-stop-shop’ of high quality and joined-up support and opportunities – including advice, healthcare, creative activities and events – that boosts the health and wellbeing of older veterans in Scotland (age 65 and older).

The SMSA recently launched its first-ever Manifesto where the Association pledged its commitment to improve its reach to the armed forces and veterans’ community through co-production. Jason Schroeder, SMSA Executive Officer, said: “The Association is delighted to become a member of this collaborative project. We will work with the other leading partners towards a common goal – extending our reach to collectively meet the needs of the armed forces and veterans’ community – to offer the right support to improve health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation and loneliness.

“In Scotland, there are over 190 Men’s Shed groups and it is our vision to continue to support the growth of this Movement so that one day, every Scottish man will have access to and the opportunity to attend their local Shed if they choose to do so. The SMSA will afford this opportunity to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds and the wealth of benefits of attending this healthy and inclusive environment.”

Military veteran Stuart Paton said: “I have suffered from mental illness my whole life and have made several attempts on my life. It was extremely hard to transition to civilian life once the regiment and structure of the army was gone. Becoming a member of Garnock Valley Men’s Shed changed everything for me and gave me a sense of purpose again.

“I went along to the Shed and found it very friendly and welcoming with a diverse range of people, of all ages, and activities on offer. I have been involved in several different gardening opportunities, woodwork projects as well as joined the modellers’ club which ran throughout lockdown. The Shed experience is unique and my new-found Shedder pals have saved my life without a doubt. I have found real, meaningful friendships and these men don’t realise how much they have done for me.”

Doug Anthoney, Unforgotten Forces Co-ordinator, said: “A large majority of Scotland’s 220,000 veterans are older men, so they are a group disproportionately affected by later life’s challenges including loneliness and loss of purpose. Men’s Sheds can be a tonic for them, enabling them to rediscover the camaraderie and teamwork many enjoyed in the Forces.” 

Graham Reece, an RAF veteran and member of the Forth Valley Men’s Shed, said: “It is really hard to find friends and camaraderie back in civvy street, like we experienced in the Forces, but Men’s Sheds are breaking down this barrier. The friends you meet and make in the Shed are very much like your peers in the Forces and you are all in the same boat.”

For more information on Unforgotten Forces, please visit www.unforgottenforces.scot.

The SMSA recently took part in the Unforgotten Forces podcast to discuss what Men’s Sheds can offer ex-servicemen in Scotland, click here to listen to the podcast on Spotify.

Men’s Sheds recognised at Voluntary Sector Hustings

Men’s Sheds don’t do politics in the Sheds but at the SMSA we work with all parties to support the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement.

With the upcoming election and launch of SMSA’s first-ever Manifesto (and issue of this publication to all candidates), it was excellent to hear a leader of a national party reference Men’s Sheds (St Andrews Men’s Shed) in his opening address at the recent SCVO Hustings event. The Movement is getting well established and to get this level of endorsement is a very positive and welcome sign after a very difficult year.

It was also encouraging to hear the leaders of the main Scottish political parties pledge their commitment to multi-year funding for the voluntary sector.

Read the full story here and watch the video below (the reference to Men’s Sheds is approximately 7 minutes in).  

Introducing 12 Guitars!

As we start approaching a time when lockdown will hopefully be easing soon and we start to consider re-opening our Shed doors once again, you might be keen to take a look at this social enterprise that caught our eye.

12 Guitars—currently based in Govan, Glasgow and formed by Gerry Thorogood and Steve Plummer in April 2019 —is broadening its focus and reaching out across Scotland with an ambitious plan to help people in our society that need a musical boost!

12 Guitars receives donated guitars from a variety of sources, recycles/upcycles them and donates them to people who could not otherwise have access to a guitar or perhaps don’t have the resources to buy a guitar. They then provide guitar tuition both physically and online and also have some workshop facilities to service, repair and restring donated guitars.

SMSA has been liaising with the management team at 12 Guitars and they have some ambitious plans afoot and we wonder if there could be synergy between our two organisations?  SMSA and 12 Guitars are keen to hear from Sheds, Shedders and Movement supporters if there is an interest to optimise the musical talent across the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement.

Ken Morton, Director of 12 Guitars, said: “We are very excited about potentially working with the SMSA and Shedders across Scotland. We have many exciting plans in the pipeline including online ‘gig nights’ that could be broadcast to the Sheds. We are interested to hear if there is an interest in guitars, guitar maintenance, repairing guitars and even forming Shed bands—the possibilities of this partnership are endless.”

To give you an idea of the “Shed Bands” live event idea and concept, here is an article of a series of events that took place a few years ago, around the world, called “Weekend Warriors” where bands were formed and performed for fun and to “soft” audiences (friends and families mainly) at www.australianmusician.com.au/weekend-warriors-a-firsthand-account and a video to show how the idea works in general at www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFbIML3AcbA 

Interested?

SMSA and 12 Guitars are keen to hear your thoughts on this potential opportunity to learn new skills, help your communities through music and provide fun challenging musical events.

Please complete the online questionnaire at the link below to let us know your thoughts on this potential exciting collaboration.  Please respond by Friday 9th April 2021.

Complete the questionnaire online at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/12Guitars

For more information on 12 Guitars, check out their website at www.12guitars.org, follow them on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/12GuitarsRock and watch a short clip of them in action on You Tube at https://youtu.be/K7wvRDu6i88

Manifesto

The SMSA’S manifesto was created to call on politicians and funders to support men’s health and wellbeing through Scottish Men’s Sheds.

The Association, which is trailblazing the Men’s Sheds Movement in Scotland, recommends five key actions for politicians, invested groups and the general public as a whole to support Men’s Sheds and fully recognise the wealth of health and wellbeing benefits for men over the age of 18.

SMSA’s vision is that every man in Scotland will, one day, have access to—and the opportunity to attend—their local Men’s Shed if they choose to do so.  Jason Schroeder, SMSA CEO, said: “SMSA is launching this manifesto at just the right time.  Sheds will be needed more than ever in post-COVID-19 recovery and it is vital to expand the SMSA and its support mechanism in line with the growth of the Movement to support Sheds across Scotland now and in the years to come.

“Investment and support to lead change is required to underpin the ongoing creation of this health by stealth and voluntary social wellbeing pathway for men.  SMSA is also recommending that localised support across the Shed network is embedded; a start-up and development fund for Sheds is implemented; a focused national awareness campaign is delivered; and the reach to the Armed Forces and Veterans community and Blue Light services is improved on.”

SMSA pledges to continue making a real difference by empowering thousands of men (our sons, brothers, fathers, uncles and grandfathers) and their communities – over the coming years – to play their part in a system change towards a wellbeing economy.  

Prostate Scotland ToolBox Workshops for Sheds

Following the recent release of Men’s Sheds in Scotland research from Glasgow Caledonian University on the health benefits of Sheds, Shedders may be thinking more about health awareness and education for their members. With this in mind, Prostate Scotland would like to let Shedders know about a new opportunity available for Sheds to raise awareness of prostate disease/cancer. Prostate Scotland can offer its new Zoom ToolBox Workshop to individual Sheds or Sheds coming together online.  

Why?

A survey for Prostate Scotland found that just over 50% of the general public surveyed and only 1/3 of men over the age of 55 could name a symptom of prostate disease/cancer. Yet an enlarging prostate or Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects almost 1 in 2 men over the age of 50.  Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in Scotland with a 1 in 10 lifetime risk of a man developing prostate cancer. Prostatitis can affect men from the age of 18 with it being most common between 30 and 50 years.

Interested in a Zoom Toolbox Workshop?

So why not get in touch with Mae Bell to find out more and organise a Zoom ToolBox Workshop? It will be well worth 30 minutes of your Shedders’ time!  Contact Mae on 0131 603 8663 or mae.bell@prostatescotland.org.uk

Men’s Sheds as an alternative healthcare route? A qualitative study

Men’s Sheds Research Update

Men’s Sheds as an alternative healthcare route? A qualitative study of the impact of Men’s Sheds on user’s health improvement behaviours

Glasgow Caledonian University’s latest paper from the three-year Sheds for Sustainable Development Project has been published by the Bio-Medical Central (BMC) Public Health on the 20th March 2021 and is available on their website at:

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10585-3​

As men’s health is an underrepresented area of policy and practice, there have been calls for more ‘male-friendly’ approaches to get men to think about and look after their health. While Men’s Sheds are recognised for the health and wellbeing impacts they can bring to their users, less is known about the effects that Sheds can have on men’s behaviours and attitudes towards their health. 

While Sheds aren’t formal healthcare providers, this paper outlines the ways that Sheds encourage men to look after their health and wellbeing in both obvious and non-obvious ways in an alternative informal and supportive ‘male-friendly’ environment. For example, the ways that Shed activities can provide a distraction from illness or adversity, how men can become educated on aspects of male health and how the support that Shedders receive can make them feel better about their health situations. 

For more information about the GCU Sheds for Sustainable Development Project (funded by The National Lottery Community Fund), please contact Dani at Danielle.kelly@gcu.ac.uk 

Using the SMSA Logo/Brand

How to use the SMSA logo in your promotional materials

The SMSA logos are an important part of our brand—used in all our internal and external communications—and the Association has put together this simple guidance to help our members, partners, funders and members of the media use our logo correctly.

SMSA has two versions of its logo (pictured below), one for generic use and one for use by official SMSA Shed Members on their websites, social media accounts, leaflets, posters and other promotional materials.

  • The SMSA logo must not be altered, recoloured or the shape changed in any way—the logo(s) must appear exactly as shown above
  • Our logos must not be shared with any third party without prior discussion with the Association
  • When using the logo(s) online, please hyperlink the logo to signpost to the SMSA website

Logo Requests

To protect the use of our logo, requests (for each use) must be made in writing to SMSA at comms@scottishmsa.org.uk to obtain the logo in the appropriate size and format you require and detail what the logo will be used for.

Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement debated in Scottish Parliament

Today (Thursday 18th February 2021) at 5.05pm, The Scottish Parliament debated on the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement during Members’ Business led by Maurice Corry MSP alongside four-minute speeches from Kenneth Gibson MSP, Rona McKay MSP, Stuart McMillan MSP and Christine Grahame MSP.

The debate is in reference to the ‘Scotland’s Men’s Sheds Movement’ motion (S5M-23991) lodged by Maurice Corry MSP on the 27th January 2021.

Watch the video below.

Does your Shed’s constitution allow for virtual meetings/new Scottish law?

‘GRACE’ PERIOD COMING TO AN END: 3OTH MARCH 2021

During the course of the pandemic, many Men’s Sheds adopted new ways of conducting meetings by carrying these out virtually. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) is advising that the governing documents of some charities do not allow for this online approach and therefore must be updated.

On the 30th September 2020, the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (Meetings of Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations) (Coronavirus) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 made legal provision to enable ‘virtual’ methods whether or not governing documents permit this.  These temporary provisions were extended until the 30th March 2021. 

OSCR is advising charities that this is likely to be the last extension to these provisions.  Therefore, it is vital that Sheds make sure they are ‘future-proofed’ in terms of being able to conduct meetings virtually by allowing for them in governance documentation. 

SMSA’s Shed-specific Constitution template

SMSA has worked with OSCR to revise its Shed-specific Constitution templates available to Sheds across Scotland:

  • Generic – Men’s Shed Template Constitution – Available in the SMSA Resource Library (member log-in required) under Open Sheds and Shed Development.
  • Ownership – SCIO Community Asset Transfer building ‘Ownership’ Constitution – Available in the SMSA Resource Library (member log-in required) under Open Sheds and Shed Development.

The changes advised by OSCR were to include the wording ‘in person and virtual’ into four different places. The above templates have been updated to reflect these recommendations.

These documents are in an editable format for your benefit and are not to be changed in any other way than adding your personal Shed charity criteria for OSCR submission. If you have adopted our SMSA/OSCR approved Shed constitution you MUST update it to this format to remain operational and legal after the March grace period. Sheds then need to notify OSCR, send the Regulator a copy of the revised constitution and ideally, the Resolution (e.g. Minute of the Board passing of the change).

If your Shed requires support, please contact Jason Schroeder, SMSA Executive Officer at ceo@scottishmsa.org.uk or call 07397382533.

Consultation Complete: SMSA Reopening Guidance for Scottish Sheds

In lockdown, the SMSA is still advising all Sheds to remain closed—until further guidance is issued from The Scottish Government.  The Association has taken this time to consult with its Shed members and partner organisations on its reopening guidance that it has been working on for several months.

The guidance (containing a 16-page document, risk assessment, new member registration form, shed visit rota, track and trace form and a cleaning checklist) provides advice and examples only for Men’s Sheds in Scotland on steps and safety measures in relation to Covid-19 to follow to safely reopen their doors again when the time is right.

SMSA wishes to thank everyone that took the time to respond to the consultation including our Shed members, Healthy Working Lives, Public Health Scotland, Age Scotland and the Scottish Government.  SMSA is now currently collating all of the feedback received and will revise the document accordingly.

This guidance is by no means definitive and is something that will be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis over time.