David said: “I recently attended a Men’s Wellbeing Day organised by North Ayrshire Council, Garnock Valley Men’s Shed and The Three Towns Men’s Shed and one of the presentations on the day was delivered by Ken Morton and Gerry Thororgood of 12 Guitars.
“The charity aims to make guitar playing accessible to all young people and before their presentation began, they announced that they wanted to put the names of all of the attendees in a hat and the lucky winner drawn would receive a guitar.
“So, you can perhaps imagine my surprise at my name being called. All attendees declared it a fair draw and insisted that I should accept the guitar.
“Having now received it, and spoken with Ken, it is my intention to make this exceptional guitar available to a deserving young person, here in Scotland, and I am asking for the assistance of Sheds to identify the ideal individual to receive this fantastic prize.
“12 Guitars is a worthwhile social enterprise determined to help upcoming young musicians fulfil their dreams and explore their talent and I personally thank them for their kind donation and wish them all the success.”
Two Scottish Men’s Sheds have been announced as winners of this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) – the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK in recognition of their outstanding and diverse work to benefit their communities.
The number of nominations remains high year on year – evidencing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them – and the Sheds were two out of 241 UK charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive this accolade in 2021.
Representatives from the two Sheds will receive the award crystal and certificate in addition to attending a garden party at Holyroodhouse Palace in July 2022 (depending on restrictions at the time) along with other award recipients.
Aberchirder and District Men’s Shed
Aberchirder and District Men’s Shed (ADMS), ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ 2019, began in 2016 when its Shedders took over an area of derelict land from Aberdeenshire Council. The early months of their existence focused on clearing the ground and creating a Shed from portable cabins.
Subsequently, they have grown significantly over the years and provide an opportunity for men to meet socially, make connections, utilise existing skills, learn new skills, mentor others and serve the community. ADMS provides a facility for wood and metal working; computing classes; volunteers for local events (e.g. stewarding at the Ride of the North cycle event); greenhouse and gardening; repairs to community assets; community projects for the local school (e.g. making a chicken coop and mud kitchen for the pupils); support for other community groups (e.g. construction of a memorial bench for the Beavers and teaching the Scouts skills to build a Kart); and supports its Community Association whenever needed (e.g. providing power for the Christmas tree lights).
ADMS Chairman, Mike O’Brien, said: “It is a great honour to be awarded the prestigious QAVS. Our members are immensely proud and delighted that our villagers recognise the efforts we have made to create a safe and friendly environment where men can meet to make (and mend), talk, put the world to rights, drink coffee and help to foster a community spirit. Nominating our Shed, particularly during lockdown, highlights the exceptional relationship the Shed has with the Aberchirder and District community.”
Andrew Simpson, Lord-Lieutenant of Banffshire, said: “I am delighted that Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed has been recognised in this way. The Shed has made a significant difference to the lives of people in their community – not least during the period of the pandemic. During our assessment visits we were impressed by their commitment to serving the people in their area.”
Westhill and District Men’s Shed
Westhill and District Men’s Shed (WDMS), the first-ever Men’s Shed in Scotland, is a place where men can meet to socialise and work together on a wide variety of projects and hobbies.
Using their well-equipped workshop, men of all ages, backgrounds and interests share their skills working on personal and community projects. It is a unique place where men can socialise and satisfy their wish to be productive and, in turn, improve their health and wellbeing.
Shedders work together on a variety of projects. The members created the Archie bench at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and its modelling group is currently working on a model of the Peterhead Prison Railway (pictured above) which will be on display in the Peterhead Prison Museum. WDMS repairs, re-furbishes and recycles garden equipment (from spades to mowers) giving them a new lease of life. The Shed also carries out various community projects including making benches, raised beds etc. for local charities, schools and groups.
WDMS received the QAVS with ‘special recognition’ for its production of vital personal protective equipment (face visors) for keyworkers in the early days of the pandemic when there was a global shortage.
WDMS Chairman, David Thomson, said: “It is a great honour to receive this prestigious award. Our Shed is an ideal place where men can go and get the benefit of socialising, sharing interests, exchanging experiences, learning new skills and working side by side with other men. This award recognises the commitment of our members, who are all volunteers, for the work they do on a variety of projects for the local community”
Jason Schroeder, Executive Officer of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association, said: “Today’s announcement recognises the outstanding contributions these Sheds have made in their local communities. This is a wonderful tribute to these men – as volunteers – for all of their hard work, commitment and dedication to support each other whilst also making a real difference in today’s society.”
The QAVS was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and recipients are announced each year on the 2nd June – the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation. They include volunteer groups from across the UK, including an inclusive tennis club in Lincolnshire; a children’s bereavement charity in London; a support group for those living with dementia and their carers in North Yorkshire; a volunteer minibus service in Cumbria; a group supporting young people in Belfast; a community radio station in Inverness and a mountain rescue team in Powys.
Men’s Shed Govan is delighted to announce the second in its series of ‘Author Talks’ exclusive to Shedders in Scotland.
This not-to-be-missed event, on Wednesday 9th June 2021 from 7-8pm, features leading Scottish crime fiction author – Craig Robertson. A former journalist, Craig worked on The Sunday Post before becoming a full-time author. He reported on major stories including 9/11, Dunblane, the Omagh bombing and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. He beat Oprah Winfrey to a major scoop, spent time on Death Row in the USA and dispensed polio drops in the backstreets of India.
His gritty crime novels are set on the mean streets of contemporary Glasgow. His first novel, Random, was shortlisted for the 2010 CWA New Blood Dagger, longlisted for the 2011 Crime Novel of the Year and was a Sunday Times bestseller. Murderabilia was longlisted for the 2017 Crime Novel of the Year and shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. His most recent book, Watch Him Die, was also longlisted for both the McIlvanney Prize and the CWA Steel Dagger.
REGISTER FOR THIS FREE
Click here to registerfor this free online event delivered on Zoom. You can join using a smart phone, a tablet or a browser on a PC. Details of the event will be sent to all registered delegates in the days before it happens.
Men’s Shed Govan is excited to be joining fellow Shedders from all over Scotland and look forward to meeting you all online!
Want to help make a difference while you shop in the Amazon app, at no extra cost to you? Simply follow the instructions below to select ‘Scottish Men’s Sheds Association’ as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. Amazon will donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us.
How it works: 1. Open the Amazon app on your phone 2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on “AmazonSmile” within Programmes & Features 3. Select Scottish Men’s Sheds Association as your charity 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app
The Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Strathclyde and the Faculty of Engineering are teaming up to offer a unique eight-week project starting in June 2021 for budding product designers to uncover and develop their creative talents. This free online ‘Design for All’ pilotcourse will be led by an experienced Design Manufacturing Tutor and include input from University design students who will act as guides and mentors throughout. You will be guided through the key stages of design including research, identifying customer needs, concept design, making prototypes, testing, marketing, and selling.
No experience is necessary, costs of all materials will be included and it will delivered (via Zoom) in a supportive and friendly way.
If you are interested in hearing more about this exciting opportunity and how you could be involved, come along to an Information Session on Wednesday 26th May 2021 from 1-2pm via Zoom to learn more about how the project will work and ask any questions you may have. Please email Gemma.Gilliland@strath.ac.uk with your full name and contact details to register your interest.
The Scottish Shedder features the latest news, events, DIY projects, recipes, personal stories, health matters and funding opportunities relevant to Men’s Sheds in Scotland.
In this edition
COVER STORY: Was this a ‘Men’s Shed’ in Glasgow in the 1960s? The Men’s Sheds Movement in Scotland officially began in 2009, but the SMSA has recently been drawn to a few stories of Shed-like establishments across the nation from as early as the 1960s which have grabbed our attention…
SMSA NEWS: The SMSA becomes a member of Unforgotten Forces The SMSA is now an official member of the Unforgotten Forces consortium – 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 that boosts the health and wellbeing of older veterans in Scotland.
SHED IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Broadford & Strath Men’s Shed SMSA talks to Nicholas Kelly, Project Co-ordinator at the Broadford & Strath Community Company which established the first Men’s Shed in their area in 2018 thanks to long-term lottery funding.
A PERSONAL STORY: Steve Bramwell, Black Isle Men’s Shed SMSA chats to Steve Bramwell to find out how the retired surgeon became Chair and a founding member of the Black Isle Men’s Shed (BIMS) and hear all about their intergeneration work and future plans.
SHED LIFE: To the end of the earth Turriff and District Men’s Shed has responded to a call from a local family and their two young boys to support their ‘Erebus’ project to build two scaled-down replica HMS Erebus and HMS Terror wooden ships ready to set sail in October over 13,000 miles.
SHED PROJECTS: The Black Isle Shedders of Feddanhill Wood Little did the members of Black Isle Men’s Shed know that when the owners of Feddanhill Wood invited them to come and view the facilities, what would evolve…
And much more…
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The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is pleased to announce that it is now an official member of the Unforgotten Forcesconsortium.
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.”
SMSA’s Executive Officer, Jason Schroeder, has been confirmed as a guest speaker at Holyrood Insight’s Adult Mental Health in Scotland Digital Conference.
Jason will join an impressive line-up of government officials, health services, employers and third sector organisations for the event’s live broadcast on Friday 18th June 2021.
The SMSA represents the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement at key local and national events to ensure the sector’s voice is heard and was approached to join the panel of guest speakers to discuss the very important topic of ‘Supporting Men’s Mental Health in Scotland’.
Jason joins a wealth of partner organisations—including the Scottish Government, NHS, Brothers in Arms Scotland, Support in Mind Scotland, Penumbra, Scottish Recovery Network and the Scottish Association for Mental Health—for this digital event and panel discussion to promote the benefits of Men’s Sheds and the Movement as a whole and discuss how collectively these agencies can improve mental health provision in Scotland.
The event will explore national and local actions to improve the quality and delivery of mental health provision; mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health to reduce isolation, distress, and trauma; and adopt a joined-up approach to delivering mental health services both city and county-wide. You can view the full agenda for the event at https://bit.ly/3cgFcAE
Representatives of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement are welcome to attend these regional events.
A forum for those supporting older veterans to share good practice and problem solve together. The regional events will include a discussion of housing with a guest input from Scottish Veterans Residences. This video conference meeting is primarily for Unforgotten Forces partner charities, but others may email (contact for each region below) to request to join the network.
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).
