Former Kinross Shed Chairman joins Scottish Men’s Sheds Association board
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), the national support hub for Men’s Sheds across Scotland, has today (3rd July 2023) announced the appointment of the former Chairman of Kinross & District Men’s Shed David Conner to its board.
David, who has run several businesses including an electrical contracting company and returned to learning in his mid-40s to achieve a BA in Design and Technology and become a teacher, was Chairman of Kinross & District Men’s Shed for four years until recently stepping down to enjoy retirement and travel with his wife.
David joins seven SMSA Trustees to further extend the hub’s reach of regional support to over 200 Scottish Men’s Shed groups and represent as the voice of the Men’s Sheds Movement. David (69) said: “I am delighted to be a part of this very important membership body. Whilst our Shed was developing, the SMSA was a great support to us and a first port of call to go to for information and advice to save us reinventing the wheel. Without the SMSA, it is safe to say, we and some of our local Sheds would not exist without their team steering us in the right direction and through the obstacles and bureaucracy that is thrown at you especially when starting something new.
“This support is vital to save these Shed volunteers duplicating effort and enable them to concentrate on what matters – improving the health and wellbeing of men. I look forward to representing the SMSA as an ambassador for my region to support developing and existing Men’s Shed groups using my learned knowledge and experience.”
SMSA Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder added: “Our Trustees are all Scottish Shedders that give their valuable time to run Men’s Sheds in their own communities and know the Men’s Shed model inside and out. I have known and worked with David and his Shed for many years and I am grateful that he is volunteering his time to bring his strong expertise to our Board and the Movement we support and represent.
“We also appeal for additional enthusiastic and visionary Shedders to strengthen our board even further. We are keen to hear from individuals from Sheds in the West Highlands and Angus. The time commitment is quarterly Board meetings and an informal catch-up with Trustees. Expenses are reimbursed for visits to Sheds and representation at events. Contact ceo@scottishmsa.org.uk to find out more.”
Community Asset Transfer Event – Rural Scottish Communities Rural Community Asset Ownership and Acquisition in Scotland Tuesday 6th June 2023 | 10am | Online
An event for Scottish rural communities interested in community ownership and acquisition
Our partner, Dr Danielle Hutcheon, Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University, is currently leading a project looking specifically at community asset transfer policy and practice across the devolved nations of the UK. The project specifically focuses on experiences of rural communities and they specific inequalities they may face.
As part of the project, they are running an online knowledge exchange event for Scottish rural communities who have been through an asset transfer process, are currently going through one or are thinking about it in the future.
The focus of the events will be on any facilitators or barriers they may face, and also focusing on Scottish legislation.
The event is for community members only and will not be attended by policymakers or practitioners, to allow rural community members to share their experiences in a safe and neutral space.
We urge Sheds to attend!
As many Scottish Sheds have been a part of this process and it is one of the most favourable and effective ways of securing a Shed building in their community – your input for the future of the movement is greatly appreciated!
72-years-young veteran Ray Elliott shares his journey from Royal Engineer Commando withmountain and artic warfare training to Shotts Shedder and mentor and everything in between.
Born in 1950 into the family haulage and scrapyard business, Ray did not need toys – he was the envy of many kids as he got to play and help cut up real tanks! At age nine, after being badly attacked by a local for being a Romany Gypsy, he was then trained by a WW2 Commando to defend himself. Leaving school at 14, he began an apprenticeship as a Heavy Diesel Plant Fitter with McAlpine’s in Hayes, Middlesex and for five years got to work with bulldozers and cranes on building sites.
Ray said: “Following my apprenticeship after school, I moved to a concrete factory making prefabricated building sections as a Plant Fitter. My family then wanted to train me to take over the family business, something I really did not want to do, so I rebelled and joined the Royal Engineers at Cove, six weeks of drill and using the self-loading rifle (SLR) followed by trade training driving a Land Rover and a 4-tonne lorry.
“After 18 weeks, I was posted to Osnabruck in Germany (BAOR – British Army of the Rhine). We lived in confined accommodation with zero privacy. I applied to join the Royal Engineer 9 Parachute Squadron with a two-year wait and got my head down and trained hard but unfortunately, trouble and jealousy seem to follow me around and a fight resulted in me being kicked out of Germany, luckily avoiding prison.
“I had to go to Chatham for trade training and was put on an Engine Fitters’ course, usually six-months long. I was given 12 weeks to pass, I tried to drag it out, but very quickly got bored. After six weeks, I entered the training room and told the trainer to sit down and watch. Within a few hours, I had stripped the engine, re-built it and put it on the engine test bed. To say the trainer was amazed is an understatement.
“After undertaking more commando training – I was the only one out of 24 Engineer hopefuls to pass. I then joined the new Condor Troop and moved to Arbroath to support 45 Royal Marine Commando Group serving NATO at the end of the Cold War with Russia, this was a Mountain and Arctic Warfare Group.
“We climbed up 700ft mountains, abseiled down headfirst at high speed and learned to casevac (casualty evacuation) a wounded soldier up and down mountains. Arctic warfare took your breath away, temperatures around minus 24C, skiing down a mountain would go to minus 60C.
“Our first trip was purely survival skills, sleeping in 10-man tents at minus 28C, skiing with 60lb packs into a hole cut in a frozen lake. Get the pack off, get the skis off, say your name, rank and number then use the ski poles to get out and start running. Just four minutes in that water could kill you, so running was required to warm the body up – at least five miles of running.
“Then, Northern Ireland in 1971 was brutal – our job was to attend to bombings, get the people out first, then the walking wounded, then the dead, or just pieces of bodies. We had to check the building structure and make it safe or pull it down whilst being shot at, petrol bombed or stoned. This experience teaches one to stay focused on the mission ahead.
“Build the camaraderie you miss and help set up a Men’s Shed using military know how.”
Ray Elliott, Shotts Shedder
“In my personal time over the years, and much more since my retirement at 69, I have enjoyed making small models from matchsticks in my own shed and also doll houses which I donate to local toddler groups. After recovering from Covid, I was asked by a charity in Shotts – the next village to me – to call in for a chat. They had seen photos of one of the dolls houses that I had made and asked if I could make their currently closed Men’s Shed work. My initial thoughts were that it was just a place for older men to drink coffee and chat, how wrong I was.
“I had a peek in the Men’s Shed at Shotts, and it was sad to see it empty except for some birdhouses and a couple of pieces of machinery. I got to work, locating a nearby factory that had pallets left outside for people to take. Now we had some wood. A new building behind the Shed supplied additional timber and I fitted two under-bench vices, put up shelving and brought the large table saw and Mitre saw into use.
“I then received permission to strip the old fence slats around the community hall and used the wood to start producing garden planters. In no time at all, previous members started returning, including a group of lads with learning disabilities and I started to teach them basic woodwork and they helped make the planters.
“When the previous woodworker Simon visited, his face was an absolute picture as he stood at the door amazed at what had been achieved. Six months on, this man is now full of confidence and we make an amazing team. We have produced many items to generate Shed funds and even encouraged an 86-year-old ex-Carpenter to join us. I am not the ‘boss’ but utilising my military skills and background, I tend to fall into a leader/mentor role that I thoroughly enjoy.
“My perception of Men’s Sheds has really changed – they are vital and effective tool in our communities. We are now a fully operational Shed offering activities and skills experience including general woodwork, painting, basic carpentry, plumbing and soon we will cover electrics like how to wire a plug and change a socket.
“The Shed is a platform to make friends, relax in each other’s company, just sit and chat or get involved, there is no pressure. They can make a project of their choice, or we can give them a project to do with full support, in a helpful manner, not in an authority manner. The charity hall next door also offers yoga, circuit training and much more. Jointly, we are encouraging members of our community to get out of the house and come do some exercise within good company.
“As a veteran, I fully support the Men’s Sheds model as a worthwhile adventure. Sheds are reaching out to and supporting all men from all backgrounds. With the SMSA always there in the background to offer support, help or advice, anyone with a pro-active nature can help set up a Shed in their locality and encourage others to get involved.
“For all the veterans out there, I urge you to get involved in the Men’s Sheds Movement. Build the camaraderie you miss and help set up a Men’s Shed using military know how. Pull up some sandbags and tell your stories to people, they will hang on your every word. YOU can make a BIG difference in people’s lives and it can help with yours too.”
Nairn Men’s Shed Chairman John Rushforth tells the story of their Shed’s full steam-ahead journey to date at their 19th-century railway station hub.
John said: “Seven years ago, a local public meeting was arranged to discuss the concept of Men’s Sheds and if there was demand and a need for one in Nairn. After this meeting, six of us began meeting regularly at Dunbar Golf Club to drink coffee and dream about Sheds.
“We explored several leads for potential premises including a disused garden centre and old stables, but they just didn’t fit the bill or would cost a scary amount to get up and running – something that would not phase us today.
“We kept meeting every week, enjoying each other’s company and chat, and then a moment of pure serendipity happened at a local football match when a Trustee was walking to the game with a friend and happened to point out a disused building on the south platform stating ‘That would make a grand Shed!”.
“The person he was talking to worked for Scotrail, the leaseholder of the building (the old Stephen Seedhouse florist building) which had previously been an old waiting room at the train station. Scotrail had been unable to lease the building out to anyone else so it was just sitting empty and getting in a bit of a mess. It was a fantastic building though and had huge potential to meet our needs.
“So, in 2017, we applied for a lease and within two weeks had received a long-term lease at £1 per annum. We got the building, but then had nothing to put in it and part of our lease agreement was to do up the outside of the building which would both cost a pretty penny.
“We reached out to the Railway Heritage Trust which offers grants for the reinstatement, maintenance, repair and restoration of railway historic buildings, structures, and fittings and the Davidson (Nairn) Charitable Trust, which benefits the community in the Nairn area or district, and they both offered to stump up half of the total costs each.
“We were off and running – kitting out the Shed, making the building fit-for-purpose and transforming the exterior of the building back to its former glory – and just like the famous quote from the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams – ‘If you build it, they will come’ – they certainly did.
“Thanks to funding from the Co-op Local Community Fund and a visit from Axminster Tools, we have an incredible workshop with every tool and piece of machinery that our members could dream of. I, as a self-confessed non-DIYer, am happy to be banned from the workshop, it just isn’t my thing. After a career in social work since the age of 19, give me the chatting and form-filling any day!
“Some of the members on the other hand, like to get their teeth into projects especially the ones linked to helping our community like making a craft table for the Nairn Alzheimer’s Group and storage boxes for the football club to name but a few.
“Projects close to our heart are also the ones linked to the heritage of the railway station like the restoration of the railway clock and owning the original ‘Nairn’ railway sign that was purchased and gifted to us by Sheena Baker, in recognition of her husband and our founding Chairman, Jeff Baker. The sign is now proudly on display in the Shed social area in his honour.
“Things were going swimmingly and our activities evolved to include walking, crafting, painting, playing games, computing and woodworking but we still especially enjoyed our Tuesday and Thursday morning social gatherings where we put the world to right and just share a cuppa – the most important part of the Shed as far as we are concerned.
“Our oldest member, who is 94, sits and shares his stories which is great for him, and us. We used to have a member, sadly now passed, who saw his place at the Shed to make everybody a cuppa and dare you to try to make your own he would be annoyed – that was his contribution and ‘purpose’ and one of our veteran members enjoys coming along as ‘there is no commitment for me to do anything at the Shed’.
“As numbers increased, we started to notice we were outgrowing our social space. Our ‘glue’ is that we sit and chat. No topic is off the menu so making this space larger to accommodate everyone was incredibly important to us – you can never have too many friends.
“Across on the north platform, was another old waiting room previously used by the florist for storage and it had two big rooms and a toilet but was quite derelict. We contacted Scotrail and to our delight, our lease was extended to include the additional building. The Railway Heritage Trust once again helped us as long as we refurbished the old toilet/storage shed on the South platform. They gave us the grant to improve the interior and the work on the Shed. A really nice bonus is that we are paid hourly to maintain the exterior of our own buildings! We now had the big social space required to accommodate our growing membership and also space for computers and a craft area. And just then, as things were looking bright, COVID hit us.
“Throughout lockdown, our members were incredibly active on Zoom. At each meeting, we had around 20+ members online and staying connected. It was so popular that we also extended an invitation for anyone to join which was great. We had people from Sheds all over the world joining from Australia to Hawaii. It’s funny as now that we have returned to the Shed, I can’t get them to go anywhere near Zoom.
“Today, we have 70+ members, all very much active, and this Shed is making a phenomenal difference in their lives. Only the other day, we had 25 members turn up just for a coffee and you could feel the buzz in the room. Such a lively bunch, happy chatting away and working on a range of different community projects.
“We also have a Saturday activity where some of the younger Shedders join us for an intense and extremely competitive game of Dungeons and Dragons (pictured above left).
“We are currently in such a good place and also have some exciting plans for the future including visiting other Sheds which we will apply to the Scottish Community Alliance Community Learning Exchange programme for our travel expenses through our SMSA membership.
“Some weeks we are open five days, there is always something on, but we still have the potential to do even more. To pursue these plans however, like all Sheds, we need more leaders to deliver this. We are in discussions with Scotrail regarding two old signal boxes (one pictured above right) with a vision of turning one into a Shed allotment/community garden and the other into a model railway club. We already have interest in both from the current membership and think it would bring in additional members also. To be honest, I think we will be beating them off with a stick!
“We have a brilliant set of Directors, everyone has a specific purpose and role to do. It is an absolute hoot. Nairn Men’s Shed is a place where two men, who have work and life experiences that are poles apart – who would probably have never crossed paths before – meet and bond. This is what it is all about.
“Our Shed journey sounds so care-free that we sometimes feel guilty when hearing about other Sheds struggling but then I remember, that this is the way it should be and Sheds should be recognised for this and supported to do what they do.”
Follow Nairn Men’s Shed on Facebook to keep up-to-date with their progress.
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) – the national support hub for Men’s Shed groups across Scotland – has welcomed funding from the Scottish Government for the 2023-2024 financial year staving off fears of its impending closure this month.
Addressing the Association’s 3,300+ individual members and 146 Shed members across Scotland, SMSA Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder said: “First and foremost, we wish to express our sincere thanks to the 4,000+ supporters that signed our 38 Degrees petition and the 40+ cross-party Members of Scottish Parliament that co-signed our letter to appeal to the former First Minister and Deputy First Minister to reverse the decision to cut our funding.
“We did not get the level of funding that we require however we are delighted to have overturned this decision and overwhelmed by the backing received from our members, politicians and members of the public far and wide in addition to the local and national media for helping us raise awareness of our vital work and the need for the Association to exist to continue to support and grow this invaluable men’s health movement even further and reach more men across Scotland to combat social isolation, loneliness and boredom.
“The core funding received from the Scottish Government and several smaller funders has taken the pressure off, for now, enabling us to remain open for another financial year allowing us to continue supporting the movement and explore alternative funding sources – within and outwith the Scottish Government – to support our development plans. We not only need to keep the Association’s doors open but wish to expand the national hub to meet the needs of this rapidly growing movement – now with 202 Shed groups and a reach to 10,000+ men/volunteers in all 32 local authority areas across the nation – whilst striving to ensure preventative men’s health initiatives, like Men’s Sheds, are a top health priority.
“The future is looking bright with exciting plans and projects in the pipeline working with lots of new partners. We still have a long way to go but are moving in the right direction. Keep up the support – we can’t do this without you for the future of men’s health in our country.”
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), the national support hub for Men’s Sheds across Scotland, has launched its latest animation to attempt to break down misconceptions that this successful health and wellbeing pathway is just for the retired.
In the one-minute film, viewers get to meet Bob, a 32-year-old busy professional who is finding life just a little bit dull before stumbling across his local Men’s Shed and finds connection, community and camaraderie to recharge his life.
SMSA Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder said: “Our latest animation is a simple key message to promote widely that Men’s Sheds are for all men, from all walks of life, aged 18 or over and that life shouldn’t just be all work and no play for today’s working man.
“Many believe that Men’s Sheds are just for older, retired men but that simply is not the case and we are striving to break down these perceptions. With over 202 Men’s Sheds groups – open or developing – across Scotland, many are thriving with intergenerational bonds and projects working with local schools, colleges, universities and nurseries. Men, young and old, are coming together in a welcoming environment to learn from and mentor each other and pass on traditional and new skills but most importantly make friends and have some fun. It is a win-win situation for all.
“Over the years, Sheds have evolved to offer a wide variety of activities to attract younger Shedders – and not just focus on the workshop – including music/bands, arts and crafts, 3D printing, sport, day outings and much, much more. We hope that this latest film will encourage men to use our ‘Find a Shed’ map to search for their nearest Shed and go check it out and see if it is for them. After all, what have they got to lose?”
The ‘Meet Bob’ animation, available to view on the SMSA You Tube channel, is the latest in a series of animations from the Association designed to raise awareness of men’s health matters and all Men’s Sheds have to offer. In late 2022, the SMSA launched ‘The Three Amigos’ which focuses in on men’s sex lives and toilet habits to draw attention to possible health issues men can experience like the changes in the hidden ‘third nut’, the prostate gland. Whilst, the ‘Guitar Mike’ film promoted that men do open up and talk about health matters in Sheds which can be life-saving.
PLEASE SHARE THESE AWARENESS-RAISING ANIMATIONS WIDELY WITH YOUR NETWORKS.
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), the national support hub for Men’s Sheds across Scotland, today announces the appointment of a new Trustee. Francis Edwards brings three decades worth of health experience from working in the NHS and will represent Sheds in island communities.
Francis, a member of the newly-formed Sanday Men’s Shed in the Northern Isles of Orkney, is recently retired after 30 years of palliative care nursing within the NHS and hospice movement.
The appointment sees Francis join six long-standing Trustees to extend the SMSA’s reach of regional representation as the voice of the Men’s Sheds Movement across Scotland.
On the news of his appointment, Francis Edwards said: “I am delighted to be welcomed as an SMSA Trustee and further represent the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement in Orkney.
“When I retired here to live the dream of island life, I joined Sanday Men’s Shed mainly for the fellowship but also to pick up a few DIY skills. In my early days of nursing, I was involved in setting up a ‘Well Men’s Clinic’ and, as a recent convert to the Men Shed Movement, feel that my background is a good fit with the SMSA’s values and mission.”
SMSA Chairman David Gardner said: “We are delighted to have Francis, and his wealth of skills and experience, on board and I am confident that he will be an invaluable asset to the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement and the national hub that supports it. This appointment will allow us to support even more members – inevitably, reaching more men across the nation with the aim to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds, combat social isolation and loneliness and improve men’s health and wellbeing.”
SMSA Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder added: “As a membership organisation, all of our Trustees are Scottish Shedders that know the Men’s Shed model and its benefits inside out. They strive to ensure that the charity is effective, robust and financially capable of supporting the needs of our 3,200+ Individual Members and Shed Members across Scotland and develop strategies to further grow and support this thriving men’s health Movement.
“We are appealing for additional enthusiastic, dedicated and visionary Shedders to join our board to extend our regional representation even further. We are particularly keen to hear from individuals in the East and West Highlands, Edinburgh and Angus. The time commitment involved is quarterly Board meetings and an informal catch-up with Trustees. Expenses are reimbursed for visits to Sheds and representation at events. If this sounds like you, please do get in touch.”
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), the national support hub for Men’s Sheds across Scotland, has received a funding boost from the National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All Scotlandprogramme to upgrade vital resources for its growing membership and deliver quality-assured data on this thriving men’s health Movement.
The member-led national association plans to implement a new Customer Relations Management database interlinked with an upgraded website to maintain records securely online – for its 3,200+ membership and 202 Men’s Sheds across Scotland – and increase the level of information held to enable improved recording and monitoring to feed into the charity’s long-term development plans and support delivery.
SMSA Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder said: “An Awards for All grant back in 2016 paid to launch our original website, when the Movement was in its early stages, and the resource has certainly been well utilised supplying Scottish Shedders with the resources required to set up and sustain Men’s Sheds across the nation. As the Movement grew substantially to what it is today, it became apparent that we require to record the increase and variety of support requests being received, speed up our processes, improve navigation so members can find what they are looking for more quickly and store wider key information on the sector to report back to our stakeholders – members, board, funders, partners and supporters.
“On average, we are receiving a staggering 40 new individual members each month to this Movement which is remarkable however, the current manual administrative processes are profoundly impacting on the time of the SMSA team. We plan to simplify our systems for joining the Association but also for our popular ‘Find a Shed’ map which receives thousands of hits each month and make things much easier to find in our online ‘one-stop shop’ members’ portal.
“Through this second award from the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, we will be able to easier maintain data on the Movement safely and securely and be able to evidence and report on its immense success and impact more efficiently – freeing the team up to support the nation’s Shed volunteers.”
The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Chair Kate Still said: “This project, delivered by the SMSA, is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others. It’s all thanks to National Lottery players that we can help give charities and community groups throughout Scotland greater certainty during challenging times.”
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) – the national support hub for Men’s Shed groups across Scotland – welcomed Liam McArthur MSP’s exchange with the First Minister at this week’s First Minister’s Questions on the proposed cuts to the charity’s discretionary funding.
Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, questioned the First Minister on the decision and highlighted the cross-party support received from over 40 MSP’s who this month co-signed a letter to Deputy First Minister John Swinney to allow this ‘invaluable public health movement to be maintained and expanded.’
The First Minister responded to confirm that the Scottish Government is in ongoing discussions with the SMSA and a financial offer had been made. SMSA Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder said: “Although we are pleased to finally now be in discussions with the Scottish Government to reverse the decision to withdraw our core funding, in reality, the current offer on the table would only keep the Association’s doors open for another four to six months and we will be back in this situation again.
“The offer does not take into account our in-depth proposal to not only expand the national hub to meet the needs of and reflect the rapid growth of the movement to what it is today – with 202 Shed groups and a reach to 10,000+ men in all 32 local authority area– but also disregards the proposed start-up and development funding pot for new Shed groups to emerge. These community groups are needed now more than ever to improve men’s health and wellbeing and combat social isolation and loneliness in a post-Covid world and need immediate financial discretionary government backing during the present cost-of-living crisis.
“We applaud yesterday’s news on the appointment of the first Women’s Health Champion for Scotland and hope that a Men’s Health Champion is also in the wings to work in co-production with to represent, support and promote men’s health and wellbeing. The Scottish Men’s Sheds movement, which we co-ordinate, is Scotland’s men’s health voice and is evidenced in recent research as a unique and effective preventative health measure for the men of Scotland. It is worth its weight in gold, given the immense saving to public health services and reducing the workload to the NHS. It deserves not only long-term financial core commitment from the Scottish Government but also developmental support to grow to ensure all communities across Scotland have the option of access to a Men’s Shed pathway.
“We thank our cross-party supporters and look forward to continuing our discussion with the Ministers involved to revisit our original proposal at this critical time.”
Today (Tuesday 17th January 2023), Liam McArthur MSP has written a letter (shown below) – co-signed by 40 cross party MSP’s – to the Deputy First Minister John Swinney calling for a rethink of the decision not to award core and development funding to the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) in the draft budget published last month.
The MSP’s are asking the Deputy First Minister to revisit the funding to the SMSA so that it can continue to support and expand the network of men’s sheds across Scotland, helping tackle social isolation and making a positive impact to improving men’s health.
The SMSA will keep members informed of the response.
