Extra Support for Charities – Men’s Sheds – £10 000

Good news for Sheds – if you already have premises then you can apply. We have waited to share this with you until we knew some Sheds had been successful which has now been confirmed.

The Small Business Grant Scheme is administered by local authorities.
Organisations can apply for the scheme through their local council.

It makes no difference what type of lease agreement or how much you pay.
As you cannot produce funds this so to help you cover your costs
like ongoing insurance, heating etc. in the coming months.
Get on it lads this is very good news ???

Scottish Government
12th May 2020

Small premises now eligible for £10,000 grants.

Properties occupied by charities can now apply for the £10,000 Small Business Grant Scheme to help with pressures caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The extension of the scheme is expected to result in an additional £31 million being made available to more than 3,000 small properties occupied by charities – including day centres, workshops and halls. It will apply to properties which are in receipt of any Charitable Rates Relief or Sports Relief, but are otherwise eligible for the Small Business Bonus Scheme.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, said:

“Our package of business support is under constant review as we look for improvements that can be made to existing schemes, or any gaps we are able to fill.

“It had become clear that many charities which run small premises, such as day centres and halls, had been hit hard by loss of revenue during the pandemic. This is particularly pressing for small and medium-sized charities which deliver health and social care support, and are heavily reliant on income from their retail operations.

“In order to support these vital charities we have therefore taken the decision to open up the Small Business Grant Scheme to allow them to apply for grants of £10,000 on the first eligible property and £7,500 on any additional eligible properties.”

Full details – https://senscot.net/extra-support-for-charities/

Win a free ticket to a ‘Travel Writing in Lockdown’ Zoom Seminar – DID YOU WIN IT?

SMSA has HAD free, yes FREE, tickets for three Shedders to enjoy an interactive learning class entitled ‘Travel Writing in Lockdown’.

Watch the prize draw to see if you were amongst the lucky winners or if you want to buy your own ticket through Eventbrite – link in info section under the YouTube video or at the bottom of this post.

https://youtu.be/Lhh4GIaz02E  

Make a virtue of lockdown, learn a new skill to take back to the Shed when it reopens and see the richness of your own community!

Venue – Online Zoom Conference
Date – Saturday 23rd May
Time – 1.45pm login until 6pm

Learn how to re-animate familiar landscapes; wander your locked-down neighbourhood with new eyes; and tap into free-writing exercises to unleash what you’ve found. The class will take place on Zoom – using breakout rooms and full group discussions – both to facilitate learning, as well as a real-world wander into your neighbourhood to gather material.

Award-winning travel-writer Nick Thorpe and national newspaper journalist Jean West will facilitate this quirky half-day workshop full of writing tips, focusing decades of global reporting experience into community-based work on their Edinburgh doorstep.

To enter this competition, simply reply to comms@scottishmsa.org.uk.  It is as simple as that.  Names will be drawn from a hat on Wednesday 20th May 2020 at 4.30pm.  SMSA will contact the winners and pass their details to Nick and Jean to claim their free tickets. Good luck!

If you were not successful in the competition, there are still places (£30 per person) available for this workshop, click here for full details.  

Funding ensures charity’s survival to keep Scottish Shedders connected

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), on the brink of closure, has secured vital funds to remain open and ensure Scottish Shedders stay connected during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The £50,000 grant will allow SMSA to keep operating and innovatively create new pathways to social connectivity amongst the Men’s Sheds Movement in Scotland. 

Jason Schroeder, Executive Officer of the SMSA, said: “We welcome these much-needed funds from the Scottish Government to enable us to continue this vital work for men’s social connection and wellbeing.  The ethos of Men’s Sheds is to reduce social isolation in our society and it is essential, whilst the Sheds across Scotland are temporarily closed, that these cyber Shedders stay connected during these unprecedented times.

“Even though they cannot physically go to the Shed, they can still stay in touch with their fellow Shedders for friendship, support and camaraderie.  We have researched the online conferencing facilities available for simplicity, functionality and reliability and will support those Shedders who are not overly confident to access these opportunities.  Over the coming weeks, we will expand the online programme to include guest speakers and activities and give the men a chance to get creative and share ideas for ‘Shedding at home’.

“The response from our Shedding community to Covid-19 has been truly incredible.  It is heart-warming to see Shedders support each other and rise to the challenge to create personal protective equipment for our frontline workers from the safety of their homes.  It is imperative that SMSA is here to support these men now and continue to do so in the years to come.  In recovery from Covid-19, the men in our communities will need Men’s Sheds more than ever to feel connected with their communities once again.”

The Scottish Shedder – Edition 14 (May 2020) Now Available

SMSA is delighted to present Edition 14 (May 2020) of The Scottish Shedder to our members and supporters.

The publication is sent out to our 126 Member Sheds and over 2,300 subscribers.  It features the latest news, events, DIY projects, recipes, personal stories, health matters and funding opportunities relevant to Sheds in Scotland.

Click here to access Edition 14 (May 2020) 

Inside this edition:

COVER STORY: Kinross & District Men’s Shed (KDMS) 3D Prints Face Shields For Key Workers
KDMS rises to the challenge – along with Selkirk Men’s Shed, Westhill Men’s Shed and Gala Men’s Shed to name but a few – to create life-saving personal protective equipment for our frontline workers. 

SHED IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Cromarty Firth Men’s Shed
In this feature, we cover how Cromarty Firth Men’s Shed has faced many barriers in its growth but still came out shining as Runner-Up in the SMSA ‘Shed of the Year’ Awards 2019.

A PERSONAL JOURNEY: Jason Schroeder
We speak to the SMSA founder, Jason Schroeder, to hear all about why he has dedicated the last 11 years of his life to Sheds and has no plans of stopping anytime soon.

TALKING SHEDS
SMSA announces new Scottish Government funding and how the SMSA will strive to ensure Scottish Shedders stay connected.

Local Business Raises Vital Funds For Stonehouse Men’s Shed

A family-run plumbing and heating business based in Lanarkshire is fundraising in a unique way during lockdown for Stonehouse Men’s Shed.

David Baxter of David Baxter & Sons Ltd is marking his 50th birthday by carrying out a sponsored walk in his garden for the charity.  David said: “My wife, Lynn, and I have done several charity walks over the years and this year I decided to come up with a different way to still do this from home.  We have previously walked the West Highland Way – a 96 mile footpath running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands – and we measured up the perimeter of our garden to see what it would take to walk the same distance.  I will be walking on average 265 laps of my garden per day for five days – with my black Labrador, Shadow by my side – to raise vital funds for a local charity that I am passionate about.”  

David’s wife, Lynn Baxter, added: “We wanted to do something big to mark David’s 50th year and raise money for a charity that is really making a difference in our local community.  As a business and a family, we were already aware of what the Shed is doing for our community and strongly support the concept of Men’s Sheds.  Our plumbing and heating business was invited to tender for the works to Stonehouse Men’s Shed and we agreed that we wanted to offer our labour for free and only charge for the materials required to further support the charity.”

Stonehouse Men’s Shed plans to carry out a £30,000 conversion on its new Shed – an unused former public convenience block in King Street in the village – to create a workshop, kitchen, meeting space and disabled access toilet.  On 6th March 2020, Stonehouse Men’s Shed signed the concessionary lease of £1 per year for a new home for its 30 members and before lockdown had demolished the interior of the Shed.  

Brian Adams of Stonehouse Men’s Shed said: “We are thrilled with the support received from this local business, David Baxter & Sons Ltd, to not only help with the conversion of our Shed but also to fundraise for us during this time.  Although we are all currently on pause right now, we are looking forward to planning for the future of the Shed especially now that we have also just received the news that we have secured £17,000 towards the work.  The funding – from the National Lottery Community Fund and the Kype Muir Wind Farm Community Trust – will go towards the project and the purchase of a portable cabin to expand the space available to our members.”

Jason Schroeder, Executive Officer at the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association, said: “We are delighted to see communities really rally together to continue to support Men’s Sheds during the outbreak.  When lockdown is over, there will be more men than ever in need of Men’s Sheds for friendship and to feel connected in their communities again.”

Click here for a video of David Baxter starting his walk today (Monday 20th April 2020).

Every penny raised through David Baxter’s walk will go towards the conversion to form Stonehouse Men’s Shed’s new premises. To donate to this worthy cause, please visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidBaxter21

Briefing – Sheds for Sustainable Development Project: Men’s Sheds as an alternative route for male health engagement

The latest briefing (April 2020) from the Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Sheds for Sustainable Development Project (funded by the National Lottery Community Fund) is now available.

What the study suggests is that Men’s Sheds not only have positive impacts on the physical, mental and social health of their users, but also on member’s behaviours and attitudes around their health and the health of others.

This includes INCREASES IN MEN’S HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOURS, such as learning about health issues in a ‘male friendly’ way, or improving diet and exercise. IMPROVEMENTS IN MEN’S RESILIENCE AND ABILITY TO COPE WITH ILLNESS, such as managing pain or stress. And finally, men’s INCREASED ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM ILLNESS through physical activity, social contact and sharing experiences with others.

However, what is clear is that Men’s Sheds do not have the capacity to become a ‘formalised’ or alternative health service as this is simply outside of their remit and does not fit with the Shed ‘ethos’. Therefore, health practitioners and policymakers may need to find new novel ways of working in partnership in Men’s Sheds to benefit.

Although we may be going through some tough times with current lockdowns, we look forward to continuing to share this work and keep the conversations going!

Click here to download the latest briefing

Kinross & District Men’s Shed 3D Prints Face Shields For Key Workers

Kinross & District Men’s Shed (KDMS) is producing face shields to protect key workers on the front line during the Coronavirus pandemic.
 
This vital piece of kit provides a barrier to stop workers from touching their face and also protection from the patient if they cough or sneeze.
 

KDMS is using 3D printers to make the Polylactic Acid (PLA) face shields and requests are coming in at a tremendous rate from the community.  KDMS Chairman, David Conner, said: “KDMS wanted to help and one of our Shedders, Jim Forbes, started working in his shed at home to come up with a solution to meet the demand for this life-saving protective equipment.  The Shedders have really stepped up and there is a team of around 12-15 of us involved in taking and recording orders, administration, printing, assembly, quality checks and delivery.  More and more Shedders are becoming involved each day to lend a helping hand to this cause.
 
“Orders are coming in thick and fast from NHS workers, carers, testing hubs, postal workers and shop workers across Ayrshire, Perthshire, Fife, Forth Valley and Clackmannanshire.  We had to set up a business model quickly and efficiently to get this right.  Everything is done safely from our homes and we communicate through phone and video calls.  We have fulfilled over 100 orders so far and now have an order for 100 more.  We have been receiving photographs and video calls from the key workers when they have received their face shields and it makes everything that we are doing worthwhile.”
 
Jim Forbes, 81, said: “I had a vision to do this and researched face shields online and came up with a quality product – quick to produce, washable/reusable and light –  consisting of four simple parts: the shield’s top frame; standard A4 acetate sheet protector screen; bottom support; and elastic to keep the shield firmly on the face.  An advantage of the design is the bridge between the forehead and the face plate which greatly reduces breath aerosol mist (possibly infected) from entering the users’ eyes.  This 3D printed version needs no tools to assemble except for a pair of scissors to trim the face plate.  For Shedders with no access to a 3D printer, we also developed a second product where no tools are required other than scissors.  

“Every single item is checked and the shield comes with an instruction leaflet for the end user.  We initially had our one Shed 3D printer and my machine but now Culture Perth & Kinross has dedicated their five printers bringing us up to seven solely dedicated to this task.  A local lady in Powmill who has been printing hundreds of shields has also bought herself another one and offered that second printer to help us if she has any free space.  We are now able to produce an output of 40-50 shields per day. When it comes to delivery, there is obviously no contact.  The order is simply placed in our gardens when we are notified that the person is on their way to collect.”

Shedders have been creating the products at home but are running low on supplies and have set up a Go Fund Me page to pay for much-needed supplies.  The Shed has already raised over £2,000 towards materials to date.

KDMS has created assembly instructions, spreadsheets, instruction leaflet and 3D Printer files (STL files and G-codes) – now available in the SMSA members’ online resource library (log-in required) – that it is happy to share with other Sheds interested in becoming involved to help with their orders or wishing to replicate the model in their local area.  Interested Sheds are urged to contact David Conner, Chairman of KDMS.

Sir Harry Burns announced as patron of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Sir Harry Burns – Professor of Global Public Health, University of Strathclyde – as patron of the charity for the next three years.

Sir Harry Burns was the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland for nine years (September 2005 to April 2014) and became renowned for his accomplishments in addressing health inequalities. Sir Harry was knighted in 2011 in recognition of his outstanding achievement and service to society.  He is a member of the Council of Economic Advisers in Scotland and, in December 2014, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Scottish Public Service Awards, recognising his lasting contribution to public service.

Sir Harry joins the SMSA – the national charitable body of Men’s Sheds for Scotland – that supports and inspires men to set up and run their own Sheds in their local communities to improve health and wellbeing.  A Men’s Shed is a shared space where men – from all walks of life – attend voluntarily to work on practical projects or simply find camaraderie, conversation and friendship. 

Jason Schroeder, Executive Officer of the SMSA, said: “We are honoured to welcome Sir Harry Burns as our patron.  The Men’s Sheds movement began in 2009 in Scotland and there are now 188 known open and developing Sheds (engaging over 7,000 men) across Scotland and they are continuing to grow at a rapid rate.  Sir Harry’s support will be key to create awareness and gravitas of the vital work that we do to improve men’s health and wellbeing.  We are very much looking forward to working closely with him.”

On his appointment, Sir Harry Burns said: “I have always admired the concept of Men’s Sheds and the growing grassroot movement in Scotland and am delighted to become the patron of the SMSA.  I look forward to supporting the great work that they do in my new role.”

The Scottish Shedder – Edition 13 Now Available

SMSA is delighted to present Edition 13 (March 2020) of The Scottish Shedder to our members and supporters.

The publication is sent out to our 125 Member Sheds and over 2,200 subscribers.  It features the latest news, events, DIY projects, recipes, personal stories, health matters and funding opportunities relevant to Sheds in Scotland in addition to a ‘Talking Sheds’ feature from our Executive Officer, Jason Schroeder.

Inside this edition:

  • COVER STORY: East Neuk Men’s Shed helps to bring back the ‘Beauty’ – East Neuk Men’s Shed, in partnership with other local community groups, is working on a restoration project to breathe life back into a boat with a fascinating history.
  • SHED IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Midmar Men’s Shed – The Scottish Shedder interviewed Jim Allan from Midmar Men’s Shed to discuss progress and challenges to date in the run up to launch day.
  • A PERSONAL JOURNEY: Professor Chris Oliver – The Scottish Shedder met up with retired surgeon and new SMSA Trustee, Professor Chris Oliver, to find out more about his journey to Men’s Sheds and what’s happening at the Men’s Shed St Andrews.
  • TALKING SHEDS: Coronavirus and Sheds – SMSA’s Executive Officer, Jason Schroeder, speaks about the importance of staying connected during this very difficult time.

The Scottish Shedder – Edition 12 Now Available

SMSA is delighted to present Edition 12 (February 2020) of The Scottish Shedder to our members and supporters.

The publication is sent out to our 123 Member Sheds and over 2,200 subscribers.  It features the latest news, events, DIY projects, recipes, personal stories, health matters and funding opportunities relevant to Sheds in Scotland in addition to a ‘Talking Sheds’ feature from our Executive Officer, Jason Schroeder.


In this edition

  • COVER STORY: Kinross and District Men’s Shed (KDMS) inspires Shedders to get on their e-bikes – read all about the KDMS’s e-bike initiative, its successful bike conversions to date and the huge health implications for Shedders!
  • SHED IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Westhill Men’s Shed – The Scottish Shedder caught up with Nick Pilbeam, Secretary of Westhill Men’s Shed – the first ever Shed in Scotland – to check out its latest expansion project and its plans for its seventh year.
  • Inverclyde Shed awarded funding to attract young Shedders – hear all about the changes happening at Inverclyde Shed including an extension in its opening hours to encourage working men to attend.
  • A personal story – Stewart McLean, a stalwart member of Roslin Men’s Shed, shares his personal story with The Scottish Shedder on how the Shed has impacted on his life.