A Tried-and-Tested Preventative Health MOT Initiative for Men
Tips and advice from the SMSA to keep your body and mind in great shape
The MOT4Men programme – available FREE OF CHARGE to SMSA Shed Members – educates and informs on key men’s health matters including diabetes screening, heart disease, alcohol, smoking, blood pressure and cancer (testicular, bowel, breast, prostate and skin) – enabling men to increase their awareness and prioritise their health needs.
For more information, please visit our MOT4Men page.
Men’s health animation promotes keeping the ‘three nuts’ healthy
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has launched the second in a series of men’s health animations with the latest encouraging men to keep a check on their ‘three nuts’ and to take quick action if they experience any changes.
The three-minute animation entitled ‘The Three Amigos’ 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, which is usually the size and shape of a walnut inside the body.
The prostate can enlarge as we get older causing peeing habits to change and can also become cancerous. The characters and theme aim to attract men of all ages to watch and learn in an educational, entertaining and informal way. The animation features different thematic scenes as the organs have their own very unique characters, ‘The Three Amigos’, medical information and the benefits of attending a Scottish Men’s Shed.
SMSA Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jason Schroeder said: “We are extremely proud of how the national association has a targeted educational health element to the services we provide and how we work in co-production with our partners to promote their specialised services. We also worked with various Scottish Shedders who had experienced prostate cancer and Prostate Scotland who deliver awareness raising presentations in the Sheds. We were very lucky to get the famous and much-loved Scottish actor Ron Emslie while he was performing the one man show, Man Shed at the Edinburgh Fringe to do the voice over which is so important in this type of media.
“Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men and as we age, the risk of developing this type of cancer increases significantly however it can also still affect younger men too. Through this latest short film, we aim to raise awareness of the symptoms for men to look out for and to talk to their GP’s, fellow Shed members and nearest and dearest, and to not suffer in silence which can often be the case with some men.
“The Men’s Shed environment is a welcoming and friendly place where men come together socially and feel safe enough to have these conversations amongst themselves. Shed members will often find that there are other men who have been through the same journey as them and can offer unique and invaluable advice and support. Early detection is key and this is one of the most successfully treatable cancers. Through this film, we aim to educate and inform, encourage men to talk and reach out for support and ultimately, save lives.”
Leading Scottish community retailer Scotmid has teamed up with the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) to promote what Men’s Sheds have to offer and mark International Men’s Day this year in participating stores.
International Men’s Day is a global holiday celebrated on the 19th November each year to showcase, recognise and celebrate the achievements of men. With over 200 open or developing Men’s Shed groups now across Scotland in all 32 local authority areas, Sheds were invited to sign up to a free promotional opportunity – to exhibit in-store and reach their local communities – through the SMSA and Scotmid partnership.
Pentlands Men’s Shed all set up in their local Scotmid store on International Men’s Day
Lynne Ogg, Scotmid Community Manager (North region), said: “We are delighted to team up yet again with the SMSA to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds in the localities of our participating stores.
“We previously offered this opportunity during Men’s Health Week in June this year and it was a great success, one that we wanted to repeat, to not only improve the health and wellbeing of our employees but also for the men in the local communities we serve.”
Jason Schroeder, SMSA Chief Executive Officer, said: “Men’s Sheds are an opportunity for men to connect ‘shoulder to shoulder’ in a safe, friendly, welcoming and healthy environment to socialise, make friends, work on projects, learn new skills and mentor others. Each Shed is unique offering activities led by the members’ themselves who are all volunteers. The SMSA was keen to work in partnership with Scotmid again to offer this excellent promotional opportunity for Sheds to showcase the activities and facilities that they can offer local men, aged 18 and over.”
“We had a productive day in the Balerno Scotmid store on Saturday, meeting a few new potential members and raising awareness of the Shed within our community. It was a great prelude to our open week that starts on Tuesday 22nd November.”
SMSA’s Development Officer, Tim Green, at Scotmid HQ
Scotmid has supported the SMSA’s ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ awards as an event sponsor for thepast two years and has also funded individual Men’s Sheds through its Community Grant scheme. The SMSA was also recently invited to exhibit at the Scotmid HQ in Newbridge to promote the Men’s Shed Movement to employees, guests and visitors.
On Wednesday 5th October 2022, Andy Caine will set off from John O’Groats to walk 900 miles south to Land’s End to raise awareness of men’s mental health and suicide in the UK.
Over 10 weeks (weather-dependent), just a man and his back-pack, Andy’s mission is to initiate and take part in as many men’s groups as possible at each of his stops – to offer a friendly and welcoming space and opportunity for men to talk and share their life challenges and also invite them to join him on this walk of life if they wish to do so.
Men often feel like they have no-one to turn to and don’t talk or share how they are feeling and Andy was in this exact position three years ago when he faced challenging situations that had a detrimental effect on his mental health.
Andy said: “Three years ago I was faced with the realisation that I was in an unhappy marriage, a job that was pushing me towards burnout and a distinct dissatisfaction with who I was. I had little energy for my children and happiness tethered to material possessions, titles and a purposeless direction in life.
“I was displaying clear signs of stress through behaviours of anger, addiction to exercise, loss of appetite, poor sleeping patterns and the lack of ability to focus. I found it difficult to accept that I was struggling and face the shame of a failed marriage. Even admitting I was stressed felt vulnerable and weak.
“I became a recluse even to my own parents in their house. I retracted from all of my friendships and felt isolated in the shame and guilt. It felt like a downward spiral but not a big enough issue worthy enough to seek help. Some days I struggled to get out of bed and when I did I was confronted with a heavy sadness deep inside me. I couldn’t shift it and it felt like a viscous circle. It was only when I started to share my feelings with a close friend that I could see the light.”
Join Andy on this ‘walk of life’ journey
Andy invites people to join him for as much/little as they can on this journey. You can walk with him and/or put him up for the night with free accommodation, donate through JustGiving, get him a cup of coffee (or an umbrella!) and ensure the funds he raises can support as many men’s health charities as possible.
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.
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.
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:
“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.”
