The UK government has invested in social prescribing schemes to tackle loneliness and its associated health impacts. Social prescribing refers people with health problems into community-based support and initiatives to enable group and peer support.
Men’s Sheds are one example of a community organisation with involvement in social prescribing and has an overarching aim to tackle loneliness and promote wellbeing. Men’s Sheds are friendly, lively, creative places where people can learn new skills, work on projects together or individually, enjoy each other’s company and share jokes, stories and maybe even some of the problems and challenges they are facing. The Sheds aim to bring people together, to tackle loneliness through ‘making environments’, where men (and women) come together in a social space, doing practical activities (e.g. woodwork).
As one of the few community and social opportunities specifically tailored to men, Sheds have attracted the attention of health and social care services professionals, social prescribers and other statutory and voluntary sector agencies who seek to ‘refer’ their clients to groups and activities that may be able to help them. This project aimed to explore the experiences of ‘referrals’ to Sheds and the potential impact this may have.
To aid this research, 93 Shed members (from various Sheds across the UK) were surveyed – and 21 interviewed on Zoom or Teams – in the summer of 2021. The survey asked Shed members about their experiences of joining and being a member of the Shed. The interviews further explored experiences in the Shed and perceptions and experience of social prescribing and ‘referral’ processes. This included positive and negative experiences, concerns and suggestions to improve experiences of social prescribing in Sheds.
In March 2022, an online, cross-nation event “Demystifying Social Prescribing in Men’s Sheds”, in partnership with Waterford Institute of Technology and Glasgow Caledonian University, also took place to bring together Shed members, national Shed organisatons, academics and social prescribers from the UK and Ireland.
The SMSA chats to Euan Martin (61)—ironically, on the day he was building his very own man shed in his garden—about how his experience with Scottish Men’s Sheds and the SMSA inspired him to co-write the play ‘Man Shed’ which is currently showing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Right Lines Productions—a writer-led production company based in Moray run by Euan and his writing partner, Dave Smith—is debuting its brand-new production ‘Man Shed’ as part of the Pleasance Theatre Trust’s Edinburgh National Partnerships programme at the Edinburgh Fringe at Bunker One.
Starring Ron Emslie, the touching 60-minute long play follows one man’s journey to explore loneliness, the joy of Men’s Sheds and the comfort to be found in friendships and a sense of belonging in the community.
Euan said: “Following a delay of over two years due to the pandemic, we are thrilled to finally let audiences in to see our work. Our plans were scrubbed following the cancellation of our tour originally planned to start in May 2020 and we really didn’t know what was going to happen with the play.
“One day, we heard the announcement that Eden Court was teaming up with the Pleasance Theatre Trust as part of their Edinburgh National Partnerships programme. In February of this year, an open call was put out for dynamic Scottish artists/companies to apply to take their work to Edinburgh Fringe 2022. We didn’t have anything to lose so applied, pitched the play and were delighted to be selected as a partner.
“I first experienced a Men’s Shed when I met members of Forres & District Men’s Shed through Moray Waste Busters. It was great to see them in action, have a good blether with the guys and hear the stories they had to share.
“I also visited the first Scottish Men’s Shed, Westhill & District Men’s Shed, which is such a fantastic place in addition to Inverurie & District Men’s Shed and meeting the Shedders in Keith and Fochabers. Each Shed is unique in what they offer their members and how they support them and that really inspired me.
“After a career of 35 years in social work, my interest in the ethos of Men’s Sheds has always been there. I met Jason Schroeder, Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association, through Moray Council and found his enthusiasm and passion when speaking about the Men’s Sheds Movement, so motivational.
“The theatre piece that Dave and I have created is a warm story of one man’s highs and lows. Without giving the story away, in the beginning our character is adamant that the Shed life is just not for him—‘no way, I’m not going, it’s not for me’ he says. Then, he thinks about it—he can continue to stay at home feeling insecure and lonely or he can get out there and socialise. The show will make you think, laugh and maybe even cry at times.”
After two years without a Shed building, the SMSA catches up with Orkney Men’s Shed Chairman Morgan Harcus to discuss their journey so far and their exciting plans for a fresh start at their new premises in Garson Park, Stromness.
In October last year, it was announced that Orkney Men’s Shed, along with two other charities – Stromness Drama Club and the Orkney Historical Boat Society– would be granted a 10-year lease for the Old Herring Factory building with ample space and storage for their members and potential for growth. And now, the Orcadian Shedders are in the building, unpacked and raring to go.
Morgan said: “I was made aware of Men’s Sheds seven years ago through former Westhill & District Men’s Shed Chairman Dave Thomson who invited me to visit their Shed. Within minutes of coming through the door, I just knew that Orkney could benefit from a Shed.
“Not long after that, Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) arranged a public meeting at The Life Centre to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds and discuss the potential for having one in Orkney. I was amazed that 55 interested people turned up to that meeting to support the proposal. From there, we formed a committee – all five members bring their own individual skills and are still on the committee today plus two new Trustees.
“From day one, the Committee has been working towards a common goal to help local men. Luckily, we all get along so well and got to work with the task ahead. We all made the decision to put in £50 each to set up a bank account for the charity and we received Westhill Men’s Shed’s constitution to use as a template and adapt it, with VAO’s help, to meet our needs.
“Then came the hunt for premises. We originally applied for a former primary school which had been empty for 17 years and would have made an ideal Shed but after several meetings with the local authority we were unfortunately unsuccessful in our pursuit. That night, I was extremely disheartened but decided to take action and began looking at the local paper’s property section and saw a building for sale in Finstown on Maitland Place. I phoned the man selling it, who strangely had the same initials as me and was a Harcus too. He explained that they had been trying to sell the building for a while and they were now considering taking it off the market to lease it out. He also mentioned that someone else had contacted him and was interested in the building.
“That same evening, I got a call from our Secretary Andy Swain asking why I was looking at the same building as him and it turned out that he was the other interested party! Well, not too long after that, we signed the lease on the building and applied for a change of use. Thanks to the generosity of the public, we soon had it up and running and kitted out with donated tools and machinery and we held our official opening on the 29th September 2017 with over 200 people in attendance.
“Over the years, we made many improvements to the building and something that was extremely important to us was to make the building fully accessible for our members. To achieve this, we required a disabled toilet and access. Unfortunately, our planning application was refused by Orkney Islands Council (OIC) due to road safety/vehicle access concerns and our appeal was also rejected.
“We were asked to vacate the premises in October 2019 and had just lost our Shed when COVID struck. Due to the pandemic, members started meeting virtually but we felt like we were losing the contact of what Men’s Sheds are all about. When it was safe to do so, we started holding meetings temporarily at the Finstown Community Centre who were very kind to only charge us £10 a meeting.
“We enjoyed chatting and planning and also held ‘Bring and Tell’ sessions which went down a treat however, we just had to find premises for our members to meet and do what a Shed should. Our members are men from their early 20s to late 80s – a great mix of lads with various skills, experience, backgrounds and interests – and we just could not lose these intergenerational bonds and friendships. Having no workshop made life difficult as we couldn’t work on community projects or raise funds through this avenue either.
“One day, I was talking to the Interim Chief Executive of OIC John Mundell who we have a brilliant relationship with. He was listening to our woes and dreams of a new build and plot of land, when he said ‘I will fix this for you’. Not long after that, discussions around the 15-year-old two-storey Old Herring Factory building, which had been empty for 10 years.
“Any attempts to sell the building were unsuccessful and the council offered it to us, and two other charities, on an initial 10-year lease at a nominal rent. The building required a bit of work to be done by the council to bring it up to today’s standards such as replacement of the lift and adaptations to the disabled toilet but on out first viewing, we were really impressed and it did not need any big work or investment from us.
“The only downfall with the new building is its location is in Stromness which for some of our members would double the distance to travel. Our Finstown site was far more central. The new building however is significantly bigger than our last Shed, and fully accessible, and therefore gives us the potential to grow and welcome new members. The other two charities using the building will primarily use it for storage so the rest of the space is ours. The Shed’s allocated rooms includes a workshop with large woodworking area, a craft/computing room, electrical testing and repair room, a large social area/canteen and lots of storage.
“In addition to the computers in our craft room, there will also be space for modelling, Japanese Kumiko, watch and camera maintenance, pyrography, leatherworking etc – and with additional space there is also scope for more to be implemented to meet our members’ needs.
“Plans in the pipeline include purchasing a 3D printer, aspirations for a new metalworking space, picture framing and a tool sharpening service. We also plan to promote the Shed’s new premises as much as possible and are attending three upcoming agricultural shows to do just that. We also extend an invitation for Sheds and community groups to come visit us and see the new premises – we recently welcomed a visit from the Deerness Senior Citizens who had a fantastic day.
“We must thank John Mundell, Karen Greaves (OIC’s Head of Executive Support), James Stocken (Council Leader), elected members of the Council and others who helped get us back in a Shed so our charity can get back to what we do best – supporting men’s health and wellbeing. We were delighted to be mentioned by Christine Grahame MSP at the recent Scottish Parliament debate on Men’s Sheds and recognised for our vital work. The support we have received from the community has been huge, they really appreciate what we are trying to achieve here.
“We were so happy in our previous Shed and if none of this had happened then we would still be there today however, after everything we have been through, we strongly believe everything happens for a reason and it is onwards and upwards from here on. We have come out the other side and are delighted with the new space we have. We currently have 160 members but this is constantly growing and we are delighted to have welcomed a good few new members recently and with that brings fresh ideas.
“Orkney is not a huge place but there is certainly room for more than one Shed on the islands. We have been delighted to support the new Sanday Men’s Shed as it develops. We visited them and presented our work and we have also offered them some of our surplus tools to get them started. We will continue to help them in any way we can. Recently, a group of us also visited Flotta to help them establish a Shed which will bring the count of Sheds in Orkney to three.
“Over the last few months, members have been at the new premises clearing and setting up our new space and moving all 18 pallets full of our tools and equipment. The workshop is almost up and running ready to start with our list of 17 (and counting) projects and the new lift has just been installed earlier this month. We are looking forward to the members dusting off their flat caps, bib and brace/boilersuits and sharpening the chisels and plane irons ready to go.”
OIC Councillor Leslie Manson said: “I am delighted that not only are we divesting ourselves of a building that has been standing empty, but much more importantly we are breathing new life into three very meritorious organisations whose charitable activities undoubtedly contribute to, and have been evidenced to promote, the improvement of health and social wellbeing, cultural heritage and involvement of our young people – this is what Orkney is all about.
Orkney Men’s Shed is planning an official opening in September 2022 (watch this space) but in the meantime, they are open to members and potential new members on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am to 4pm. Follow their new beginning on Facebook and/or visit their websitefor the latest updates.
Men don’t talk – that is the perception anyway. Some men struggle to open up about their feelings, experiences, struggles and health matters but the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is quashing this theory by launching the first in a series of animations to promote that men do open up and talk in Scottish Men’s Sheds.
SMSA CEO Jason Schroeder said: “We are producing these animations to educate and inform on the range of benefits that Men’s Sheds can bring to men’s health and wellbeing. The first animation promotes men coming together in a safe space and opening up to talk ‘shoulder to shoulder’ including sharing health matters that may be concerning them.”
Theshort animation, based on a true story from a Scottish Shed member, features ‘Guitar Mike’ chatting with his Shedder pal over a cuppa when he mentions that he saw him limping. Mike tells him about a painful lump he had found above his knee and Charlie advises him not to wait around and get to the doctors sharpish. Mike did just that and it was only a matter of days before Mike was having a cancerous growth removed.
The real ‘Guitar Mike’, Mike Mowat from Glenrothes Men’s Shed, said: “Many men do not open up about their feelings and end up keeping everything to themselves. Men’s Sheds offer a friendly, safe and welcoming environment to make friends and socialise. I felt comfortable to share my health problems and talk to Charlie and I am now so glad that I did. I am delighted that my story is being shared – if my experience encourages just one person to seek help before it’s too late then it will not be in vain.”
Scottish actor Billy Mack, who does the voiceover for Charlie in the film, said: “I never really knew much about Men’s Sheds until doing a rehearsed reading of a play by Clare Prenton entitled ‘Men Don’t Talk’. We, as a cast, were taken to a local Shed and introduced to the members and talked with them. As soon as I got home, I looked for my local branch but unfortunately there isn’t one in Stirling as yet. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we have one – they are a great way of building friendships and learning different skills but, above all, a place for people to talk about life and issues that may affect them. All villages, towns and cities should have one!”
The SMSA was formed in 2014 to provide support, information, advice and resources to its Shed Members and 3,000+ Individual Members. Today, there are over 200 open and developing Men’s Sheds groups across Scotland reaching 10,000+ men (aged 18 or over) through the Movement.
The ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ awards, delivered by the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), recognise and reward the contribution that Men’s Sheds make and raise awareness of their huge impact in today’s society.
Last year’s winner was Westhill & District Men’s Shed (pictured above) – the first-ever Scottish Men’s Shed which opened in 2013. David Thomson from the Shed said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this prestigious title that recognises the achievements, over the last eight years, from our extremely active and committed Board of Trustees and members.
“We have grown significantly over the years and now welcome over 300 members through our doors—averaging nearly 100 member visits per week.”
Timeline
Opens for applications: Friday 8th July 2022 Closed for applications: Sunday 18th September 2022 (Midnight) Shortlist announced: Monday 10th October 2022 Open to public vote: Monday 10th October 2022 Closed to public vote: Sunday 30th October 2022 (Midnight) Winner announced: SMSA AGM/Awards Event
Jason Schroeder, SMSA’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The awards, now in their fourth year, celebrate and showcase the life-changing work being carried out in Men’s Sheds across Scotland. The Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement began back in 2009 and today, there are now over 200 Sheds and developing groupsvoluntarily engaging over 10,000+ men (aged 18 and over) across the nation. Men’s Sheds have a positive impact in supporting and improving men’s health and wellbeing and encouraging members to become actively engaged within their communities to reduce social isolation and loneliness.
“The awards not only afford the opportunity to hear all about the great things happening in Sheds – the camaraderie, projects and partnership working – but also highlight the challenges and barriers they are experiencing and how we can support them to thrive.”
Scottish Sheds – that are Shed Members of the national association – can apply via the SMSA website. Applications are now open until midnight on Sunday 18th September 2022. Shortlisted Sheds will be selected from all of the applications by SMSA’s Trustees through blind voting before going to a public vote from Monday 10th October 2022 until midnight on Sunday 30th October 2022.
The winner will receive the esteemed SMSA targe trophy to display at their Shed for a year. The winner and two runners-up will also receive mini replica targes to keep and an array of prizes from supporting organisations.
2020 Winner – The Inverclyde Shed2019 Winner – Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed
We’ve never been more aware of the benefits of nature for our health and wellbeing, particularly following our experiences over the COVID pandemic.
Over the past five years, RSPB has been developing ‘Nature Prescriptions’, working with GPs and other health professionals to embed the value of nature to health across primary care.
Nature Prescriptions are designed to support healthcare professionals to formally prescribe connecting with nature so their patients can harness the benefits of nature for physical and mental health and wellbeing. A Nature Prescription can be offered as part of a treatment plan for patients or given to someone for whom the GP assesses would benefit from this natural, non-clinical intervention.
The prescription is supported by a leaflet and a calendar of local, seasonal activities. All are designed to help foster a deeper and meaningful connection with nature and all can be undertaken individually as part of a person’s everyday life.
Nature Prescriptions began as a partnership between RSPB Scotland and NHS Shetland in 2017 and expanded a year later into Edinburgh. It was well-received by local GPs and patients and clearly benefited over 80% of patients who participated.
However, what the RSPB has found so far is that they are reaching far fewer men than women – and they want to understand why that is and what they can do to address this gender imbalance. They know that men don’t attend GPs as often as women do and so want to find out if there is another way to reach men to encourage them to make this nature connection. They also know that the language they may use around feelings and the approach of encouraging mindfulness may not feel as accessible to men and may be off-putting for some.
RSPB Scotland wants to hear from men across the country about how you feel about the health benefits of nature, and how you think they could reach more men with this important message. This will help develop the project to be more relevant, accessible and meaningful for men for whom being in nature could be an important tool in their toolbox for looking after their physical and mental health.
The Scottish Government wants to hear your views on what a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Scotland (2022-27) should look like.
The Strategy will guide the work that the Government, and their partners, will do to improve mental health and wellbeing in Scotland. This will include an overall shared vision, a set of outcomes, and how they will achieve these to improve people’s mental health and wellbeing. It will also describe how the difference will be measured.
The strategy covers a range of things, including:
addressing the underlying reasons behind poor mental health;
helping to create the conditions for people to thrive;
challenging the stigma around mental health, and;
providing specialist help and support for mental illness.
The Scottish Government also wants the Strategy to guide how we provide support to everyone who has a role in improving and supporting people’s mental health and wellbeing.
This ranges from the specialist mental health workforce to those working in all health and social care settings, in communities, schools, police custody suites and prisons. In addition to the invaluable support from volunteers and unpaid carers.
You can read and respond to the consultation on the Scottish Government Consult website by the 9th September 2022 at:
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
With so much progress being made at Lanark Men’s Shed with their ongoing site renovation and the refurbishment of their new containers on Langloch Farm, the SMSA caught up with Shed Chairman Alan Ross to hear all about this young Shed’s first year.
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.
Lanark 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.”
