Many Men’s Sheds offer a repair/fix-it service to members of the community to generate Shed funds however does the Shed’s insurance policy cover these items in the event of a problem (e.g. a faulty or defected item)?
Jason Schroeder, SMSA Chief Executive Officer, said: “One SMSA Shed member, that offers such a service, got in touch with us to highlight their recent dialogue with their insurance company. The provider was, rightly so, asking for more information on the Shed members that carry out the electrical repair work, their background and training and if they were aware of relevant changes in legislation and regulation in regards to this.
“We got in touch with our partner Greenwood Moreland who offers our Shed members discounted Shed insurance but also specialist guidance for all stages of the Shed journey and they advised us on their insurance on repaired second-hand goods (products liability) and on the term ‘competent person’. They highlight that in the case of Sheds, if a member has been repairing electrical goods for many years compared to an eighteen year old or younger then the latter would not be deemed as ‘competent’.”
Please see below for Greenwood Moreland insurers’ terms of liability:
SECOND-HAND GOODS (PRODUCTS LIABILITY)
We will pay all amounts which you become legally liable to pay as damages for liability arising from second-hand products.
Liability arising from the following second-hand products: a) gas appliances of any description b) any appliance containing or using flammable liquidsLiability arising from an agreement unless liability would have existed without the agreement.Liability arising from any electrical appliance, other than a battery-operated appliance, which has not been inspected or tested by a suitably competent person prior to leaving your custody.
If your Shed carries out any repair work (electrical and/or non-electrical), please take the time to check your policy and call your insurance provider for a chat to ensure these items, and you, are covered.
If you are interested in receiving an insurance quote from Greenwood Moreland, please contact Elaine McGhee on 07954 700278 or email sheds@greenwoodmoreland.co.uk
Alan said: “It has been all go on the Shed site with this first major project to get our three new container workshops completed. We set ourselves an ambitious but achievable goal to get it all done by June with a view to holding our open day at the end of July/early August.
“The Shed’s inaugural meeting took place only in September 2021 with five members and since then, so much has been done in such a short space of time.
“We are perfectly situated on Langloch Farm at Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) Scotland with neighbours including the sawmill, Clydesdale Women’s Shed and Lanark in Bloom. We have had a brilliant relationship with our landlord, CCI, from the beginning. They provided us with the start-up costs and we have an agreement in place that we will pay no rent or electricity for two years, which we hope may continue in future years.
“Step one of this first project was the insulation and interior batten frame on container 2 then the fitting of the walls and lastly building and installation of the workbenches and large cutting machinery.
“Our new fully fitted smaller container (number 3) arrived in style and craned into location on the 1st June—this will be used as a finishing and small projects Shed. Work benches and hand tools will be purchased and installed to allow members to get started in the new Shed almost immediately.
“Electrical work will then be carried out over all three containers along with the Clydesdale Women’s Shed and Lanark in Bloom’s containers. We are in the process of re-roofing over all of our containers and ‘machinery shop’ with Perspex sheeting, which will provide additional all-weather outdoor work area.
“Next, we will build a wood store to the left of container 2 and added shelving. The store will have wood cladding added to the exterior to make it more aesthetically pleasing from the roadside. This space will be used to dry wood all year round.
“The final stage will be to refurbish container 1 for use as a social recreational area suitable for all Shed members to relax and chat over a brew, as well as open up the area to existing and future on-site community groups. The area will also be utilised as a welcoming area for visitors and where we will hear from future guest speakers. There will be an area set aside for a small tea coffee station which will house a coffee machine, small fridge and hopefully soon a microwave for those that may want to heat drinks and/or meals.
“We plan to have some small seating areas which can be used by surrounding clubs and groups whilst still leaving ample room for our requirements. All of our furnishings are light and moveable to allow this multi-purpose space to be set up in a range of different ways.
“Additionally, the current small separate office area will have a desk for the new computer for future training, learning basic computer skills and for general Shed administration and business. We have installed a new laser printer for creating our own merchandise and there will also be a table and chairs to accommodate ‘one on one’ learning, allow small meetings and team calls as well as our monthly zoom conferencing.
“We are extremely fortunate that we will have the ability to open over seven days a week if we require and so have the opportunity to add more groups or open up space for hire to other community groups and bring in some income.
“Plans for the near future include working with Lanark Community Development Trust within the Fairy Dell at Castlebank Park, which has some wildlife woodcarvings which have unfortunately been vandalised. We will be working to replace parts and restore the items to their original beauty for the community to enjoy. In addition, we plan to create some new wooden signage for the park.
“Future plans include incorporating an outdoor seating area for members and visitors to chat and our next major project is to create a Community Tool Library for locals to hire out items for their DIY jobs. We also hope to install solar panels down the line to be more energy efficient and aim to look at an electric vehicle for the Shed’s use. This really is just the beginning for our Shed –there is so much potential for growth and we are extremely excited.”
Lanark Men’s Shed has set up several groups for it’s members since its inception—including it’s guitar club, woodworking group, a WhatsApp group (for updates and chat) and a writers’ club. One of the writing club members, Brian Laidlaw (94), is a renowned published author and the group has recently been asked by the Lanark Community Development Trust to write an article on Lanark history and heritage.Men’s Shed Walking Group
With the Shed’s growing membership currently sitting at 35, its list of activities continues to evolve to meet the needs of its members. The Shed’s latest addition is a popular walking group. Tom Docherty from Lanark Men’s Shed said: “In less than a week of a walking group being discussed, it was up and running and had its first outing.
“There are now plans to have a weekly daytime walk in the Clydesdale countryside around the Shed’s Lanark homebase. The group anticipates future outings further afield into the Highlands and Lowlands.
“A walking group epitomises the Men’s Shed’s definition of ‘providing a supportive environment for people to gather, volunteer, work, teach, learn and seek fellowship with other like-minded people’. Regular hillwalking, or indeed any kind of walking, can improve your heart rate, burn calories as well as activating the hamstrings, glutes and calves. It also boosts stamina and endurance – all health-giving benefits.
“Walking has also been shown to reduce mental stress as well as reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Of course, the most important aspect of walking is that it is fun. There are also excellent photographic opportunities to be had as well as many historical and cultural aspects.
“Any type of walking can be done—from short flat rambles to hill walks, and everything in between. Walks can be tailored to suit an individual group’s needs and abilities.
“Lanark Men’s Shed Walking Group chose a nice, easy walk for its first outing. They set off from just outside Roberton village and headed up a gentle slope, passing an abandoned quarry, to arrive at the bottom of Roberton Law, which was skirted around. An easy downhill section led to a ruined stone sheep fank which provided a convenient seat for a lunch stop.
“The peace and tranquillity throughout the walk was only broken by the interesting discussions about the landscape and scenery. After crossing a small burn, a short stroll led back to the vehicles. All in all, a nice 3½ mile, 1½ hour walk. So, there really are no excuses, why not get your Shed organised with a walking group? It’s good for you and it’s fun.”
Currently, Lanark Men’s Shed is open every Tuesday to Friday from 10.30am to 4.00pm. The Shed is just about to launch its new Facebook page, so keep and eye out for it to follow their journey from here.
“Being busy with Shed life is currently my coping mechanism —I really do not know where I would be without it.”
Mike Rowlinson, Secretary of Dunfermline Men’s Shed
Secretary of the new Dunfermline Men’s Shed Mike Rowlinson (70 years young) shares how focussing on getting the Shed up and running and making new friends has got him through the darkest of times following the recent death of his beloved wife, Helen.
Mike said: “My wife and I moved from Scotland to Nottinghamshire in the early 80’s. Initially meant as a ‘temporary’ move, we eventually returned to Scotland when we retired after 33 years there. Whilst in Nottinghamshire, that’s where I initially heard about the Men’s Sheds Movement. There was a Shed some 15 or so miles away from us and with retirement looming, my interest in DIY, my background in homeopathy and complementary health as well as the need to keep myself occupied and meet like-minded people—I really liked the concept.
“On our return to Scotland, I wanted to do something productive with my time. I searched the SMSA ‘Find a Shed’ mapand was gobsmacked to learn that there was not yet a Shed local to me in Dunfermline. Unfortunately, the pandemic then hit and we went into lockdown so I put the idea on hold.
“In July 2021, I was on Facebook one day and came across a post about a group of local guys setting up a Men’s Shed in Dunfermline. Our founder, local award-winning bee keeper Neil Lyndon, came up with the idea to set up the Shed. He had originally wanted a special kind of hive for his bees but it was an extremely expensive piece of kit. He considered utilising the workshop facilities and members’ skills at a Men’s Shed however found that the nearest Shed (Glenrothes Men’s Shed) was quite a distance away and so his dream to set up a new Shed was born.
“I went along to the first meeting and quickly volunteered to become Secretary to get all our ducks in a row. I wasn’t sure, at this stage, what the Shed could do for me personally but it certainly was fun being involved in setting up a new Men’s Shed for our community.
“I call our eight-strong committee ‘The Dream Team’ as we have a great range of invaluable skills across the board including our digital guru Ron Skirving (our Chairman) working on the website and Mailchimp communications. Treasurer Jim Myles applied for and secured our first real funds—£1,500 from the Arnold Clark Community Fund. Neil Lyndon deals with the press and promotional side, Richard Lawrence has valuable experience applying for funding, Ally Craig is our design and protocol guru, Robin Sharp has loads of experience in the charity sector and last but not least Alastair Wood with his business background is producing our business plan. My role is producing the weekly updates and keeping everyone—members, supporters, funders and the community—informed of our progress and plans. I thoroughly enjoy it.
“Then, just before Christmas, my wife of 48 years unexpectedly died and it is all still extremely raw. We met at Edinburgh University whilst I was doing my Degree in Microbiology. Helen was a friend of a friend and I begged my pal to take her along to my 21st Birthday party. She came along, and I gave my best chat up line ‘Grab your coat, you’ve pulled!’ Two weeks on, I proposed and we were married the year after.
“One evening, we were chatting about how great our lives have been, how happy we were and that we had zero regrets. Helen also told me how proud she was of my work with the Men’s Shed. Not long after that conversation, my Helen passed away in her sleep from an aortic aneurysm. Even with my medical background, I did not see any warning signs.
“It has been an extremely difficult time. I just had a big milestone birthday—my 70th—without Helen and we had even booked a cruise for 2023. My life changed overnight. I had to learn to fend for myself, my diet now is…interesting, my choice of TV programmes has completely changed and waking up in the morning and remembering and evenings on my own are just so hard.
“The Shed really has been my salvation. The support from the guys has been superb and right now, I need to be kept busy. Putting something back into the community to help local men, like me, who may be suffering from loneliness, isolation, bereavement or just want to make some friends and have a laugh—it means the world to me.
“I am not a great cook, Helen did most of the cooking, and there are a number of our members in the exact same position. We are currently in talks with Fife Council and Tesco to get ‘Cooking for Yourself’ and healthy eating demonstrations for our members who are struggling with cooking for one.
“Through talking to the membership, we have also identified that at least 30% have shared that they are experiencing or have experienced anxiety and/or stress. Being an anxious person myself, it is a privilege to befriend and support these men and see the improvements already just from our weekly get togethers.
“We recently had a brilliant boys’ road trip to Aboyne & District Men’s Shed, endorsed by the SMSA and fully funded by the Scottish Community Alliance Community Learning Exchange. This trip was not only thoroughly enjoyable for us all but also invaluable to hear all about another Shed and how they got up and running. We learned so much and would highly recommend Shed to Shed visits.
“As part of my therapeutic process, I have made a bucket list. I have had taster sessions to fly a plane and a helicopter now. I also had a day at the Scottish Gliding Centre and flew the glider there. It was a free as a bird experience, I absolutely loved it and would encourage anyone considering it, to go for it! It was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done.
“I have also recently become a volunteer driver for the Community Transport Scheme for the Royal Voluntary Service for people with health conditions and/or restricted mobility to get them out and about to appointments and activities. It feels good to give back and help people.
“Discussions continue with the Carnegie Trust and Fife Council to bring us closer to creating a permanent Shed in the Pittencrieff Park Steadings. The Trust and local authority have been totally behind us the whole way.
“Pittencrieff Park, known locally as ’The Glen’, has 76-acres and is famed for its peacocks that have roamed freely for over a century. We are forging links with our fellow organisations at the park including the peacock sanctuary, Friends of Pittencrieff Park, Sustrans, Cycling Without Age, TURN (men’s group) and Dunfermline Cycling Club. We will continue to maintain good relationships with them to keep ‘our neighbours’ happy and fully updated with our plans.
“The park is extremely popular with the locals and visitors and it is affectionately known as the ‘Jewel of Dunfermline’. With limited resources, Fife Council is doing an excellent job maintaining the park however the old animal steadings are under used and starting to deteriorate. We now have full permission to carry out some maintenance work/improvements on the premises and we hope to take on other tasks around the park as we develop a presence. The area is so beautiful and has so much potential to be great again.
“The windows in the Steadings meeting room were painted shut so recently, we managed to prise them open again and are freshening up the paintwork. We have been granted use of this recently refurbished ‘Activity Hub’ within the Steadings (with meeting room and kitchen) and we meet there every Wednesday.
“We have also cleaned up the toilets, steam cleaned the carpets and cleared the guttering and downpipes. Our next project is to reconfigure the Medished for peacocks that need to be kept in isolation for a time. Having some practical jobs to do, and seeing the difference it is making, has been so great to see and beneficial for the guys too.
“The west wing of the Steadings, if/when we finally manage to officially make it our permanent home, will offer ample extra space for practical activities (about 230 square metres)—the Old Keeper’s House, three workshops and an office. Our ultimate dream is that we want to be the biggest and the best Men’s Shed in Scotland!
“Without the Shed, and the passion I have for it, I would have way too much time on my hands right now and know I would currently be in a downward spiral. The Shed keeps me occupied.
“Being busy with Shed life is currently my coping mechanism—I really do not know where I would be without it.”
Christine Grahame MSP brought another Men’s Shed debate to the Scottish Parliament chamber today (16th June 2022) to discuss and recognise the work that has gone into the production of the one-act play, ‘Men Don’t Talk’ and Men’s Sheds in general as a vital support for many in Scotland’s communities.
Jason Schroeder, SMSA Chief Executive Officer said: “The SMSA would like to thank Christine Grahame MSP and all the MSP’s who supported the motion and their ongoing support to us and the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement.
“A very important, at times frank, discussion around the issues of the lack of central government funding support and the ongoing community asset transfer challenges. Again, due to the amount of MSP support the session was extended another 30 minutes so all speakers had a chance to speak. This shows that there is real belief and support for this unique men’s health movement but so far not the monetary investment it requires to really thrive and be supported like in Ireland and Australia.
“I feel we have made a step, albeit a small one, in the right direction to support the Movement at this critical junction in the development of the Sheds.”
On the 12th May 2022, 13 members of the St Andrews Men’s Shed hit the road to visit the Aboyne & District Men’s Shed on a learning visit fully funded (£700 expenses) by the Scottish Community Alliance’s Community Learning Exchange and endorsed by the SMSA. John Meek, St Andrews Men’s Shed Treasurer, said: “The purpose of the visit was to help us better understand what we need to do to establish new premises. Topics for discussion, amongst other things, were how Aboyne & District Men’s Shed achieved the funding for their new premises; how they designed and constructed the building; and how they manage it as a community asset.”
Adrian Snowball, St Andrews Men’s Shed Committee member, said: “The visit started with a tour of the workshop facilities; there was much discussion and comparison about the equipment in our respective Sheds. As with St Andrews Men’s Shed, much of the equipment has been donated either from local schools, businesses and individuals.
“The day-to-day operations of the Aboyne Shed were outlined. All members using workshop machinery have to be competent and assessed and trained by the Shed supervisors. St Andrews found this to be very interesting and will be updating their own procedures in light of this.
“The Aboyne Shed has 85 members. There is a strong focus on not undertaking work unless that person has been through an induction course in any equipment operation conducted by one of the Shed trainers. The Shed has several workshop supervisors and they keep visibly displayed, an information board showing a matrix of member’s competencies.
“The second floor of the building provides rental income. The Aboyne Shed’s success in creating a community hub, owned by the Shed as the legal entity, with a wide variety of community groups using it significantly helps to fund running costs.
“We learned so much during this visit. We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel and all came away with ideas as to how we might change and improve our operations. We would highly recommend that our fellow Scottish Men’s Sheds apply to the Scottish Community Alliance for funding for Shed to Shed visits.”
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has teamed up with Scotmid to offer Scottish Men’s Sheds a promotional opportunity during Men’s Health Week (13th-19th June 2022) in 35 Scotmid stores.
To kick off Men’s Health Week, these 35 Scotmid stores are offering a full-day exhibition space – to accommodate a 6ft table, banner and up to two Shed representatives – to a local Men’s Shed on Monday 13th June 2022 (9.30am-6.30pm) to raise awareness of the Shed and attract new members. As Scotmid has a ‘Charity of the Year’ partnership in place, Sheds will not have the opportunity to fundraise, however each Shed can display and take orders for their Sheds products on the day.
Lynne Ogg, Scotmid Community Manager (North region), said: “We are delighted to team up with the SMSA to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds and the wealth of benefits these can bring to men’s health and wellbeing. This is the perfect way to mark and celebrate Men’s Health Week in our Scottish stores.”
Jason Schroeder, SMSA Chief Executive Officer, said: “The SMSA is working in partnership with Scotmid to offer this excellent promotional opportunity for Sheds to showcase the services and facilities that they have to offer local men aged 18+. We would encourage the Men’s Sheds local to these participating stores to register their interest fast as spaces will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.”
Participating Scotmid stores are as follows:
Armadale (EH48 3QA)
Coupar Angus (PH13 9DJ)
New Mains (ML2 9BD)
Balloan (IV2 4PW)
Drumnadrochit (IV63 6AG)
New Stevenston (ML1 4JL)
Balloch (IV2 7HQ)
Fauldhouse (EH47 9JA)
Pilrig (EH7 4PE)
Barlanark (G33 4RJ)
Gorgie Road (EH11 2PL)
Portobello (EH15 1EY)
Bishopbriggs (G64 1NQ)
Harthill (ML7 5PU)
Prestonpans (EH32 9AZ)
Blackburn (EH47 7LQ)
Hunterfield (EH23 4TX)
South Queensferry (EH30 9SD)
Bonnybridge (FK4 1BZ)
Laurencekirk (AB30 1BJ)
Stockbridge (EH4 1HX)
Broxburn (EH52 5EE)
Law (ML8 5LN)
Thornhill (IV30 6GR)
Burnhead (G71 5AL)
Lesmahagow (ML11 0AF)
Torphins (AB31 4HE)
Carluke (ML8 4AJ)
Leven Street (EH3 9LH)
Uddingston (G71 6PL)
Castle Douglas (DG7 1LZ)
Mayfield (EH22 5JG)
West Calder (EH55 8DR)
Coatbridge (ML5 1ET)
Munlochy (IV8 8NL)
PLEASE NOTE: Some participating stores may have several Men’s Sheds in the vicinity. Places will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.
How does a man find his purpose when he grows old and major life events come thick and fast? Should he retire to the solitude of The Shed as usual and escape from the world, or get out and try something new? When the familiar rules no longer apply, is it too late to change the habits of a lifetime?
Man Shed is a bitter-sweet one-man theatre piece which explores the joy of sheds, the pain of loss and the comfort of friendship. The play has been inspired by Men’s Sheds around the world, but more specifically by the work of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association.
Man Shed is written by Euan Martin, directed by Dave Smith, and produced by Right Lines Productions. Writer Euan Martin from Right Lines said: “After an extended period of inactivity due to the pandemic, it is fantastic to be presenting live theatre once again. Man Shed was due to premiere in May 2020, but because of the national lockdown, the tour had to be cancelled. We were fortunate to be selected for the Pleasance Edinburgh National Partnerships programme, supported by Eden Court Theatre, Inverness. This will allow us to present Man Shed in one of the most prominent and prestigious venues at the Edinburgh Fringe.”
Susannah Armitage, Senior Producer at Eden Court Theatre, said: “Eden Court is delighted to be supporting Man Shed by Right Lines as part of our inaugural involvement in the Pleasance Edinburgh National Partnership project. Man Shed is a very touching and pertinent tale about loneliness, friendship and where you find community. It is also warm and funny and will speak to lots of different audiences and we are sure that it will do well at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Right Lines have long been established as a theatre company making and touring work across the Highlands and we are really pleased to be collaborating with them in this context.”
The Edinburgh Fringe run at The Pleasance marks the world premiere of the show. The show previews on the 3rd and 4th August and continues until Monday 29th August (with the exception of Wed 10th, Mon 15th and Mon 22nd August).
The SMSA interviews Andy Lorimer, Vice-Chairman of Stonehaven & District Men’s Shed, who won the title of ‘Shedder of the Year’ 2021 in recognition of the work he carried out during the course of the pandemic to keep the Shed operating in a safe and secure manner.
Andy (73), who was in the Royal Navy for 13 years and a mechanical fitter to trade, was kept completely in the dark about the award until the surprise announcement was made at the Shed’s Christmas lunch on the 16th December.
Shed Chairman Bill Allan sourced a decorative ship’s wheel and transformed it into an impressive trophy. The ethos behind the award is to recognise and reward the members who have gone over and above to steer the course of the Shed.
Andy said: “I was absolutely delighted when the announcement was made. The members certainly did a good job of keeping that under wraps.”
“I have been involved since the beginning and attended the first meeting at the Town House arranged by our local Rotary in 2016 when Jason from the SMSA came to present to us about the concept of Men’s Sheds.
“I was enthused by Jason’s talk and was just about to retire, so volunteered to become a Trustee from the start.
“I go to the Shed most days—it is a huge and important part of my life. My wife died a few years ago and it has provided me with companionship and friendship. When we went into lockdown, I wanted to ensure Shed projects, that could still run safely, kept going but also wanted to keep our members connected to support each other.”
Shed Chairman Bill Allan said: “Andy put so much effort and hard work into keeping the Shed operating by organising the rotas for Shed supervisors and the duty phone holder; ensuring that we have a safe environment to work in; encouraging and helping out on all fronts on administration, organising meetings, liaising with other groups, particularly on welfare activities; issuing SMSA’s Pathfindr Safe Distancing Assistants; and creating and distributing the weekly Shed newsletter to keep us all informed about what is going on.
“Andy didn’t just sit and accept that the Shed was closed, he worked very closely with NHS Grampian on health and safety and risk assessments and put together robust procedures to keep us all safe. Andy steered all of that.”
A very modest Andy added: “To me, I just do my thing at the Shed and get on with it so I was gobsmacked to be presented with the award for our ‘Shedder of the Year’ 2021.
“There have been so many highlights over the years—too many to cover—but the biggest has to be actually getting our Shed building. This was a monumental moment and although it then hit us that we would now have to find the funds to do up this building, it was great to be a part of that journey. Being part of the team, raising funds and seeing each milestone reached is something we will never forget.
“Painting our huge wall mural in the Shed is also a great memory. Our resident artist Paul Ralph involved the members in it. He sketched out the design and we pretty much painted it like a painting by numbers kit. He then finished off the fine details to make it what it is today—something we are all immensely proud of.
“Being on the Stonehaven Farmers’ & Produce Market Support Team—alongside Paul Tosh, Peter Cooper, David Lomax, Jim Mackenzie, Bill Emslie and Mike McInally—is also great. Tom Hannan has been the driving force behind this and leads the team of volunteers. When lockdown measures eased, we supported the Farmers’ Market to get back up and running again with stewarding support and introduced a one-way system. It was great to be back together and supporting our local community.
“Not only is the market work good for our Shed funds but, more importantly, it is a resource for local produce and wares to be made available in our community once again and an opportunity for us to be at local events raising awareness of the Shed activities to potential new members.
“The biggest part of being a Shed member for me is the friendships made and giving back to our community. A group of us have formed a quiz team and meet on a Wednesday night in the local hotel. We recently won the quiz in early March and any money we win goes straight into Shed funds. These friendships are priceless and I thoroughly enjoy it.
When asked about what the future holds for Andy, he simply replied: “Well, I will just keep coming back to the Shed and keep doing what I do.”
With the help of a local occupational therapist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, John got to work to transform a walking frame into a secure beach walker with much larger wheels allowing Seth to roam freely and… there is no stopping him now.
The Rehabilitation Engineering Movement Advisory Panel (REMAP) charity was the brainchild of army officer and engineer Major Pat Johnson who, in the 1960s, helped his disabled sister (who had contracted polio in infancy) by making some improvements to her home including wheelchair ramps and an electric hoist.
These simple solutions made a huge difference to her life—and gave her the independence she craved—and he resolved to bring similar changes to others’ lives. Remap is now UK-wide and completes 3,500 projects every year.
The charity can help design and custom-make equipment to help disabled people live more independently. This support includes mobility, help in the home, managing personal care, enjoying sports and hobbies and much more. All work is carried out and checked by expert engineers, carpenters, technicians and occupational therapists and provided free of charge.
Engineer, Remap volunteer and Banchory & District Men’s Shed member John Dunnett said: “I have been involved with the Remap charity for just over two years. When I heard about Seth having to sit whilst his sister ran about and played and splashed about in the water, I wanted to make something to give him freedom on the sand.
“I was able to get a couple of used zimmer frames from different manufacturers—one was a typical frame and the other taller and slimmer. I dismantled both and cut the parts to reduce them to suit Seth. Some of the shaped tubes had to be shortened and I was lucky to find a metal tent pole that was a tight fit in the cut tubes. I machined metal axles for the rear wheels that I was given by a local golf course professional and a local engineering company made up the front castor units to my design free of charge when they heard Seth’s story. The front wheels were also donated by a caddy cart servicing company.
“I volunteer my time and made use of my engineering contacts so that the entire walker was created at no cost including the screws and pop rivets used to assemble it. The frame can be modified as Seth grows; the rear legs can be adjusted using the standard zimmer adjusters and I will remove the pop rivet joints, insert spacers to increase the length of the tubes and then rivet the joints again.
“It was very important that Seth’s beach walker was adjustable so he can continue to enjoy beach walks with his family as he grows.
“There are always learning curves with these projects. If I was asked to make another walker, I would try and find the supplier of similar aluminium tube and obtain a tube bender or make up a bender which would save using pop rivet joints on cut down zimmer parts.
“Once complete, we tested the walker at Aberdeen Beach during the easter holidays when COVID rules were more relaxed. It was a cold windy day however everyone there was just delighted to watch Seth walk on the sand. Being a typical boy he went closer and closer to the waves, the look on his face when he was soaked by a larger wave made it all worthwhile. The walker has seen a lot of use this summer and Seth’s mum has sent me lots of lovely photos of it being used at Cruden Bay beach in more enjoyable weather.
“I can see a lot of potential for Sheds to get involved, and make a huge difference to the lives of people with a range of disabilities, by working in partnership with the Remap charity. A Men’s Shed is the perfect space to carry out the work required for projects like this. All types of skills can be utilised—mechanical, woodworking, electrical and electronics.”
David Reid, Regional Organiser Scotland at Remap, said: “We now have 10 panels across Scotland, from Shetland in the north to the Scottish Borders with some 50 hands-on people with engineering skills.
“Unfortunately, volunteers with woodworking and metalwork skills are becoming scarce and COVID has certainly impacted on our work. At the moment, we could have a project up north being constructed down south. So, we often turn to Men’s Sheds local to the project for help.
“We have been so grateful for the assistance received from Men’s Sheds. We are hoping to get more Sheds across Scotland involved in these project that can often be life-changing for the recipient.”
“Major Pat Johnson MBE died in 2002. Thanks to his vision and effort, we continue to build ramps – and much more. Much like Men’s Sheds, we repurpose what most would consider scrap materials. We still use ingenuity and experience to produce innovative solutions to problems. Pat Johnson’s concept has more than stood the test of time and, thanks to him, the lives of thousands of disabled people have been transformed.”
Would your Shed/Shedders be interested in getting involved with Remap?
Working with Sheds across the nation, the SMSA team often hear about concerns arising over Shed social media accounts.
There are so many opportunities to be gained through social media—and it should be considered as an extremely useful and positive tool—including raising awareness of your activities; sharing your latest news announcements fast; building relationships; staying connected; reaching wider audiences; targeting a younger Shed member audience and to thank/recognise funders and supporters.
That said, if your social media presence is not managed correctly it can start to cause a whole range of issues—below are some top tips for Sheds to cover some of the concerns that have been brought to our attention:
Always have more than one administrator
The SMSA often hears about Sheds having duplicate accounts/pages as login details have been misplaced/lost, or the sole administrator of the account has moved on or unfortunately passed away. Always having more than one administrator will solve this problem and ensure maintaining the accounts is not just the responsibility of one person. Social media activity can be something the whole Shed can become involved in.
Make social media a part of your day-to-day Shed activities
To maximise the potential of social media, you need to keep your audience engaged on a regular basis. Consider adding the topic to your meeting agendas as a regular item to discuss—“What posts can we share to social media this month?” “Who can take the photo at that cheque presentation next week?” “Who can advise the Facebook Administrator on the details of that community project?”
Your community and supporters (and potential new members) want to see photos/updates of what it is like in the Shed i.e. members playing cards, working on projects together…even just a photo of Bob and John having a laugh over a cup of tea! They want to see Shed life.
Ensure your administrators are social media savvy
Your administrators will receive all notifications of posts and comments to the page and should respond and chat to followers/subscribers in a timely, polite, respectful and professional manner. It is important to interact with your audience and think twice (and proof read) before you share/post or respond to anything in the public domain. Be informative, offer support and show empathy and kindness at all times.
Responding to negative feedback/comments
Some topics/conversations may be controversial or divisive. After all, life would be boring if we all had the same opinions however, the way comments/feedback are dealt with is extremely important. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and it is important not to ignore comments that you do not agree with or leave questions unanswered and certainly do not ‘block’ the person because you do not like what they have to say. Respond to the person quickly in an open and transparent way, answering their query/concern and then invite them ‘offline’ to chat on the phone or in person to discuss the matter further.
Ensure administrators have the time to dedicate to social media
It is important to post regularly on your Shed news, funding successes, projects etc to keep you audience informed and engaged. Nothing is more off-putting than going to view a page that is out-of-date and not posted for a long time. When you recruit administrators, please ensure that they have the time to dedicate to this project and are fully-aware that the page will be updated regularly.
Get creative with your content
Use the platform to get the word out and showcase what you Shed has to offer—plenty of photos and videos of your facilities and your Shedders in action. It can often be intimidating or overwhelming for someone to come along for the first time so use social media as an opportunity to give a ‘virtual tour’ of the Shed as the welcoming, friendly and inclusive environment that it is. Get creative with your content, get the members involved in the videos and photos to make updating the social media a fun task.
Recognise and promote partnerships and relationships
If your Shed works in partnership with another individual, community group or organisation—to give or receive support—take photos of the project in progress or some before and after shots, presentations or events etc and tag each other into posts to promote the initiative and recognise the support.
Record the engagement
Sheds can utilise the engagement through their social media to harvest testimonials and feedback received on projects and record and promote this information in funding applications, evaluations and impact reports.
Keep personal accounts separate
Where possible, try to keep personal social media accounts out of the loop. Try setting up a new generic account and all of your administrators can use this one account to log-in and maintain the page. This also means that notifications can be set up to come into the Shed email address instead of personal email inboxes.
And finally, change your passwords regularly
Social media accounts can unfortunately be at risk of being hacked. Keep your social media accounts safe by changing your passwords regularly (quarterly is advised) and also after an administrator leaves the role.
Need some extra advice?
Feel free to contact Michelle Wibrew, SMSA PR & Communications Officer at comms@scottishmsa.org.uk
