Shed in the Spotlight – Spey Shed

The SMSA chats to Hamish Thom, Chairman of Spey Shed, which now has 25 members and growing steadily—so much so, that they are beginning to feel that they are already outgrowing their current premises. Could a future move be on the cards?

Hamish said: “Four years ago, our local authority, The Highland Council, funded a woodwork teacher to open up on Friday afternoons for members of the local community to undertake woodwork activities there.

“Although, it was not called a Men’s Shed as such, it was a wee taste of what was to come with a great social side, with exceptionally good craic, and a place to learn new skills. There were 20 of us attending regularly before Covid came along.

“The pandemic changed everything and no longer could we meet at the school. We were devastated, what were we going to do? From there, our will to set up a Men’s Shed in Grantown-on-Spey began. We had no money, no constitution but we certainly had a committed group of men keen to have somewhere to meet again so we began our journey.

 “I contacted the Cairngorms National Park and The Highland Council as well as their grant team about our vision and initial discussions were extremely encouraging.

“But then my wife Claire Thom, who just happens to be the Chairperson of the Grantown YMCA Community Centre on the High Street, offered us a room to meet. The workshop and social area (The Howff) were in a state of disrepair so, in return for being rent free for the first year, we offered to fix it up and make it a new and improved usable space to meet our members’ needs.

SpeyShed5
SpeyShed in the beginning
Renovation

 

“The Highland Communities Mental Health Fund awarded us £7,000 which helped immensely to get us up and running. We fitted out the room, rewired, decorated, built wheelchair-accessible benches, constructed storage, sourced tools and repaired the stair lift (bottom right) which one of our members could not be without.

“The community started to hear about us and started donating items and Wickes also made a generous donation of tools. Wood was so expensive so we started recycling wood and receiving donations and surplus wood from local companies and individuals. We also began working with our local community development company, the Grantown Initiative, which supports local projects for the benefit of our community.

“We became aware of the SMSA at this stage and formed our committee and then we received our SMSA Shed Members handbook which helped us out hugely with many things—and saved us reinventing the wheel— such as securing discounted insurance and gaining charitable status. The SMSA has been an excellent support—we have full admiration for the association and they are always there—it’s great to have them just a call, email or visit away if we need assistance.


“We had plans to advertise our official opening widely but in the end, we really didn’t need to. Word was spreading fast across our community—we were already very well known and respected—and in July 2023, we held our official opening (pictures below) and what a day it was!

“Our committee spent a great deal of time putting systems and processes in place to deliver on our duty of care responsibilities for safe working. We found that we were struggling to have two Shed Supervisors at all times—especially in the warmer months—so the Shed members and trustees made the decision to close the Shed down over the summer holidays each year.

“So much work has gone into getting our Shed to this stage—as a friendly and supportive space for the people of Strathspey—and although we are already feeling with our current 25 members, that we are starting to outgrow this space, we still want to take some time to enjoy this stage and a wee breather before we even think about moving—after all, that’s what it’s all about. To manage our numbers, we are also thinking about implementing an online system for members to book themselves in for a slot to ensure everyone’s safety.
“Spey Shed aims to grow to add other skills, crafts and potentially other Strathspey locations however right now our current space meets our needs. We feel a real part of the community—we recently received a £500 donation from the local church that uses the centre and £500 from the Highland Hub to improve our heating and insulation.

“We have access to kitchen facilities and even a cinema at the YMCA centre! There is so much potential and opportunities available to us that we have not had time to explore yet—we could potentially introduce cooking as a new activity for our members.

“We are also keen to visit other Sheds to learn from them and will be looking to apply, through our SMSA membership, to the Scottish Community Alliance Learning Exchange to fund this.

“Really, the world is our oyster. Yes, we do have our eyes on another potential building but, we have such a great relationship with the YMCA that we are staying put for a while. But, watch this space!”

Shed in the Spotlight – Livingston Community Shed

The SMSA takes a peek inside the doors of Livingston Community Shed in West Lothian which has flourished over the last year and just recently signed a ten-year community lease for the South Barn Garden at Carmondean Community Centre. Shed Chairman David Piper shares their blooming success so far.

David said: “Livingston Community Shed (LCS) is situated in Livingston in West Lothian with a base at Carmondean Community Centre and a workshop at Mosswood Community Centre in Knightsridge.

“LCS is run under the guidance of five trustees, but run on a democratic basis, with all major decisions being put to all members.

“We began our journey back in 2022 when local church café manager Norma Brown noticed four rather lonely men sitting in her cafe and suggested a Men’s Shed might be just what the doctor ordered.

 

“The Shed officially launched in October 2022 and its membership since then has tripled. Now standing at 27 members and counting—with an age dynamic of between 40 and 86 years young— there are 12 members who are active on a regular basis.

“LCS is open on Mondays and Fridays at Carmondean Community Cafe, where the focus, apart from the excellent bacon rolls and home bakes, is on the banter and having a laugh.

“On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Shed is open at our Mosswood workshop from 10am-2pm, with extended hours during the summer months, where we undertake woodwork, photography and garden maintenance.

“During our first year, the projects were restricted as the Shed did not have a workshop. So, we concentrated on garden projects for both local community members and some local care homes and community centre gardens which had been left to overgrow.

“These were soon cleared and brought back to life with new plants and LCS now has a maintenance role in keeping these spaces tidy for the local communities to enjoy.

“In June 2023, LCS acquired the use of a 20ft x 8ft container at Mosswood, Knightsridge area of Livingston which we have transformed into a woodwork workshop. Since acquiring this unit, it has been possible to add woodwork projects to the list of projects we undertake.

“We have refurbished several garden benches and remodelled a covered BBQ space at Mosswood. We have taken on some upcycling and refurbishment of furniture for community members and have recently been asked to construct scenery for a local panto performance and are assisting one of the local special needs schools to erect a poly tunnel and some raised beds so that the children can grow plants.

“Last year, our Shed entered the 2023 ‘Helping Your Community Grow’ competition through Dobbies Garden Centre and were delighted to win £1,000 of garden equipment. We also applied for and were awarded a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund which will assist with the complete refurbishment of Carmondean South Barn Garden.

“Various local authority grants  have allowed us to expand our workshop and construct three garden sheds. We do not charge our members a joining fee, it is completely free to attend and several local residents support our efforts through the donation of tools and items of furniture to refurbish and sell for funds to keep us running.

 

“Our Shed has also recently been awarded a grant of £10,000 from West Lothian Council to help deliver mental health support to younger people in conjunction with Youth and community project, Vennie Knightsridge.

“LCS has its own WhatsApp group for informal chats and the exchange of ideas amongst our members. We also have weekly meetings to which all Shedders are invited, and this keeps everyone updated with what is happening and of any projects or grants we have ongoing.

“The Shed has had a huge impact on the lives of its members. In conversations, many of our Shedders tell us that the social inclusion and camaraderie they gain from participating in Shed activities is a major part of their daily life now.

“Strong bonds have developed, and members do look out for one another and provide help and assistance to any member who has a problem. The participation in projects provides a strong link that encourages and promotes members to be involved in community related projects that provide further aspects of social inclusion for our older members.

“Long-term, our Shed has a bright future ahead as we have become well known and respected by other organisations and council bodies who see us as a good example of what can be achieved when a group of people come together to do things that support the local community.

“Earlier this year, LCS formally signed a 10-year community lease for the South Barn Garden at Carmondean Community Centre. The garden area has not been tended for over 28 years and it provides the Shed with the challenge of restoring it to a functioning space for the local community.

“This is a long-term project as the large space currently resembles a very overgrown jungle which we intend to convert into a community garden with growing poly-tunnels and raised beds for the production of trees and plants to help the environment.”

Follow Livingston Community Shed’s activities through their website and Facebook page.

Shed in the Spotlight – Inverurie Men’s Shed

IDMS Members at the 10th anniversary gathering (Photo by Griselda McGregor)

As Inverurie & District Men’s Shed (IDMS) marks their tenth year with a gathering of faces old and new to celebrate a decade of community, connections and camaraderie, their Chairman Alex Smith reflects on the highs and the lows of what has been achieved in that time and also shares their exciting plans for expansion to meet the needs and further grow their already 150-strong membership.

IDMS Chairman Alex Smith said: “Back in 2014, two Inverurie residents—Archie Peebles (now an SMSA Trustee) and Graeme Shepherd—visited the first-ever Men’s Shed in Scotland in Westhill, Aberdeenshire and this started us on our journey.

“The Shed visit was soon followed by a meeting with Aberdeenshire Council where a committee was formed and IDMS was born. Initially, the group met at Inverurie Community Centre (pictured above) and with help from the SMSA and the council, a permanent home was found at an industrial unit in Harlaw Way, along with an area for a polytunnel.

“During our first year and through grants and donations, we raised £51,000 which was used to purchase machinery and equipment for the workshop as well as two portable cabins to make into a social area. A grant from Grampian Health Board (now NHS Grampian) also allowed us to purchase a polytunnel and whilst the new Shed was being kitted out, we met in the polytunnel.

“Unfortunately, the polytunnel kept being extensively vandalised and had to be abandoned in 2017 and we were on the lookout for a new site for it. After searching throughout Inverurie, one of our Trustees, the late Alistair Smith was introduced to George Ross (J G Ross Bakers) who had a field available. At 3.5 acres this was big enough not only for a polytunnel but also for allotments. A 15-year lease was signed in 2019, and we were ready to go.

“In the midst of the pandemic, three Shedders—Graeme Shepherd, Henry Wilson and Murray Main—formed a bubble and set about creating allotment spaces on the site as well as 40 allotments, which are available not only for Shed members but also for the use of local residents.

“The team also planted fruit trees and bushes to create an orchard on site as well as an area of 1.5 acres, called The Howe Farm, as a co-operative to help local low-income families grow their own vegetables. Many of the ‘farmers’ at The Howe knew nothing about growing fruit and vegetables, but under the close guidance of the Shed, this has turned out to be a very successful venture.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything this fertile piece of land cannot produce and we are seeing an abundance of tatties, onions, carrots, cabbage, turnips, peas and beans and the more exotic fennel, okra, courgette, asparagus, sweetcorn and garlic. The fruit trees are already well established having managed to survive being ravaged by local deer and our clever bird-scarer, with dangling shiney CD’s, has also proven to be effective.

“Our new larger polytunnel boasts rows and rows of seedlings just waiting to be graduated to the great outdoors. Member and visitors alike, all agree there is a feeling of wellbeing whether they are actively gardening or just enjoying being out in the fresh air.

“Our excess produce from the land is sold at the entrance gate and at Inverurie Farmers’ Market to raise funds for the Shed and produce is also donated to our local food banks.

“Visitors to the allotments are welcomed by our dedication plaque at the main entrance which is engraved with the words ‘Alistair’s Dream’. It is thanks to Alistair Smith’s vision and determination that we now have this area to benefit our members and our wider community.

“Our Shed premises at Harlaw Way have certainly served us well over the last decade—offering a wide variety of activities over the years for our members including metalwork, woodwork, crafts and a cosy social area with wood burning stove to play chess, backgammon, draughts, shuv ha’penny and other board and card games.

“On reopening post-covid however, we quickly noticed that we were struggling to attract members back. So, to help us determine what we could do to attract a greater level of participation from members, we undertook a members’ survey. From the responses, many of our members stressed that the current premises were simply not big enough to meet everyone’s needs.

“The size of our Shed really does limit the number of Shedders we can safely accommodate at any one time, in both the workshop and the social area. It also limits the size and number of community and personal hobby projects that we can take on.

“Being a huge barrier to the growth of our Shed, we decided to actively seek an alternative site through Aberdeenshire Council and are currently pursuing a building adjoining to our current premises. We have just submitted a Community Asset Transfer request which we hope will be looked upon favourably.

“Until then, we are making the best of what we have. Last October, Storm Babet unfortunately took off the roof of our social area and the heavy rain caused severe damage. It has been a very long wait for better weather conditions and for the damaged areas to dry out to even attempt the extensive, not to mention expensive, repairs but we made do and many members met at the allotments for hot soup and chinwags to get them through.

“A very generous donation was made by Michael Howden, the owner of StationGym83 in Kemnay. The money was raised by Michael and his friends through The Sundown Cycle fully covered the cost of all of our repairs. It was a mammoth task and took a long time to get back to normal, but repairs were completed just in time for our 10th anniversary celebrations.

“We held an open day at the Shed to mark the milestone and it was a great day with an excellent turnout. Our visitors and guests were treated to a tour of the workshop and social area before a lovely buffet lunch provided by Graeme Shepherd, Henry and Gwen Wilson, Bill Stewart and Shantilal Fernando. We then informed our guests of our future expansion plans and great support was shown.

“We are now officially in the community asset transfer process and all of our many letters of support have been submitted. We would like to thank the many supporters of our application including the SMSA, Inverurie Events, Friends of Inverurie Hospital, Douglas Lumsden MSP, Harriet Cross MP, Evolving Inverurie as well as over 500 positive comments received through our social media.

“We are extremely grateful to the SMSA, Aberdeenshire Council, local businesses, organisations and residents for their continued support for our Shed over the last 10 years and long may it continue.”

Follow IDMS’s progress, through their website and Facebook page, as the enter this next stage of their journey.

 

Shed in the Spotlight – Dingwall Men’s Shed

The SMSA takes a peek at the almost-complete Dingwall & District Men’s Shed, ‘built by the community, for the community’ on a former skate park and now one step closer to an official opening after 19 months of hard graft from its members and supporters.

Brian Liddle, Dingwall Men’s Shed Chairman, said: “Back in 2017, our founder Dr Andrew (Andy) Foley mooted the idea of setting up a Men’s Shed in our area. A small group of us were very keen on the concept and for my sins, I put my hand up to volunteer to become the Chairman and we began to meet regularly to discuss our plans.

“To kickstart our get-togethers, we were offered the community centre at Ross County Football Club and that is where we spent hours talking, planning and dreaming.

“After a year, we were then given use of the local scout hut in exchange for doing up the place and maintaining it. For the first time, we had a space to make things but the downfall was that there was no heating in the hut and it was just not do-able in the winter months. We explored many alternative premises and gained none until one day, we queried the large expanse of land (1 acre) adjacent to Ross County FC which was formerly a skate park and had not been used for over a decade.

“We prepared a detailed business plan for Highland Council and were thrilled when we were offered a peppercorn rent on a 30-year lease. Initially, we thought about portable cabins being placed on the site but then our aspirations for what was needed in Dingwall and the surrounding area started to grow arms and legs. We wanted an intergenerational community facility incorporating a community craft village for local people to go to socialise, make connections and have fun and a purpose with the aim to improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing; gain confidence, learn new skills and utilise and share existing ones, partake in their hobbies and interests and improve their awareness of health matters relevant to them.

“Our outcomes for the project evolved in line with national outcomes to live longer and happier and healthy lives, improve our environment and build a strong and resilient community that supports each other. 

“The next step was to get an architect on board and our plans were passed by the planning department just as Covid reared its head and scuppered progress. We continued to fundraise and apply for grants during this time and also purchased some containers which are still on site now but mostly used as storage.

“In 2021, we started building once we had reached £46,000 – we connected to the sewer which was a massive job and one of the few times we have had to hire in professionals. Then, power was connected to the site from 400 yards away. In March 2021, the foundations went in and we started to attract locals and trades people with real skills and we all acted as their labourers.

“We had people from all walks of life including an airline pilot, medical professionals and photographers all rolling up their sleeves to help with anything that needed doing at the time from digging trenches and making kindling. The Department for Work and Pensions was also sending people down here to gain experience. It is amazing what people will do for a cause like this.

“We have spent just under £90,000 so far to transform the site and today, we have a high-quality and fully-accessible social unit, metal and wood workshops, a second workshop, polytunnel, log cabin, kitchen, the community craft facility and ample storage. Funding has been achieved through donations, grants and income generated through our project work.

“We don’t wish to highlight any specific individuals or funders for the success of this project, it really has been a fantastic team effort but we must recognise the legacy of our founder, Andy Foley, who sadly passed away. He recognised a need to create something very special here in Dingwall and it will now be here for many generations to come.

“The biggest highlight for me personally through all of this is when we made the building watertight. Right then and there, I knew success was guaranteed and we could finish this project. We are now delighted to have 36 officially members with around 16 regularly coming along two days a week on Wednesdays and Fridays. We have big ambitions for up to 100 members and to open additional days and attract all ages.

“Future short-term plans include obtaining our occupation certificate, installing our fire and smoke alarms and concentrating on our Christmas production line to raise funds then we can start planning for our official opening and raising awareness with our local media for a recruitment drive. To even say we are immensely proud of the joint achievement by everyone involved would be an understatement. Many hurdles have been put in our way and together we overcame them. Let’s see what the future brings.”

Follow the Shed’s journey on Facebook.

Shed in the Spotlight – Maryburgh Men’s Shed

On the 29th June 2012, Maryburgh Primary School closed its doors for the very last time after 152 years and the community sadly watched a much-loved building deteriorate before their very eyes until a group of local men came up with a plan during the pandemic.

Andy Barnett, Treasurer of Maryburgh Men’s Shed, who lives next door to the former school which his boys attended, shares their Shed’s journey to becoming proud stewards of the school building through Community Asset Transfer (CAT) and restoring it as a vital resource in their heart of their village.

Andy said: “Three and a half years since we began this journey, we are immensely proud to announce that our Shed doors opened on Tuesday 11th July 2023 and we are welcoming members, old and new.

“In March 2020, just as the pandemic hit, a group of us got talking about having a place to go, a Men’s Shed, to do activities and mitigate social isolation and loneliness. When it was not raining, we would have socially distanced meetings outdoors or alternatively, chat on the phone and have Zoom meetings. It was interesting times and we all had to quickly get to grips with new technology to ensure we progressed with our ambitious plans.

“When the school closed, it felt to many like the heart of our village had been taken away so from the outset, we have only had our eyes on transforming this treasured building into a Men’s Shed to give it back to the community. Over the years, there have been many plans for the site including new housing but these never materialised.

“We applied for and surprisingly-quickly received approval as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) and then got to work on our CAT application. Social activities for men, especially older men, were severely lacking in our village so this was a key point in our CAT application.

“It took a long two years with a few hold-ups and a global pandemic in our way but the CAT process was finally completed on the 23rd June 2022 when our Shed officially became the proud owners of the old school building changing hands for just a £1 and it was certainly worth the wait.


“We received the keys and got cracking with the work ahead including the external masonry pointing; removing timber window guards; replacing damaged window panels; implementing a disabled access toilet; checking the electrics; removing hundreds of teachers’ staples from the walls before painting; plumbing; reinstalling the main utility services; tidying up the buildings exterior and ensuring safe access; making the roof water tight by replacing 198 slates and improving the flat areas before winter 2022 set in.

“This was all thanks to the hundreds of volunteer hours and fundraising efforts of our members surrounded by a supportive community and a wide range of professional tradesman and businesses who helped us along the way and donated time, materials and equipment. 

“We also have our fantastic funders to recognise including the National Lottery Community Fund, The Robertson Trust, The Gordon & Ena Baxter Foundation and the Highland Council Coastal Communities Fund.

“In August 2022, once the building was safe for the public to enter, we invited the community to have a wee trip down memory lane to see the school building a decade on and it was also an opportunity for us to consult with locals on what ideas they would like for the facility. This is something we really wanted to do as the building is so special to many. The Leader of The Highland Council, Raymond Bremner, also visited us to see this new community asset in action and speak to the men.

“The Shed is pretty spacious with three large rooms—one is to be turned into a workshop and we have a huge amount of machinery and equipment which has been donated to us. That will be our next project to fit out that room and get it up and running. Then we have our most important space—the social area with kitchen for all those cups of tea— and the third room, we have plans to rent out to generate Shed funds and we already have a local community group interested in this.

“At present, we have around 15-20 active and regular members and we can already see the impact and a positive change in these men and the wives are extremely supportive too.  Before, we may have only spoke to each other in passing but now we have a place to go and meet regularly. We all know each other now—they are a great bunch of guys that I am delighted to call friends.


“We are now in the process of promoting the Shed offering through our local media and looking to recruit new members—we estimate that the building could take 40+ members comfortably at any one time.

“We were delighted to have a visit from SMSA Development Officer Tim Green (pictured above left) recently and we valued his support and input. His message resonates with all of our members—to not make this another job! We are all voluntarily building this space to improve our health and wellbeing but there are no deadlines or pressures to work. If we want to down tools and have a tea break and a three-hour long chat, that is exactly what we do.

“Our future plans include holding an official opening soon and inviting our supporters, partners and funders along to see what we have achieved. As we recruit new members, we will consult with them to see what other activities they would like to take place in the Shed. Last month, we had a ‘Men’s Health’ talk from an NHS Screening Engagement Practitioner and we hope to offer more men’s health presentations as we go along.

“Also, after a recent energy-efficiency survey, we are looking at our options in terms of getting our boiler up and running before winter arrives and adding solar panels to our large south facing roof. There are always jobs to be done but for now, we are just enjoying the fruits of our labour.”

Maryburgh Men’s Shed is open initially on Tuesday mornings 9am to 1pm but is currently discussing opening another weekday and one evening to accommodate working men. Support Maryburgh Men’s Shed with a LIKE and a SHARE on Facebook.

Shed in the Spotlight – Shed-na-mara

Shed-na-mara operates from a former forestry building in the village of Achnamara on the shores of the scenic Loch Sween in North Knapdale, Argyll. Graham Walker shares their journey so far…

Graham said: “With easy access to the water, Achnamara was the perfect place to build a community coastal rowing skiff.

“With the help of grants from Foundation Scotland and the National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All, the skiff project started in 2018 and—after an 18-month delay due to COVID—carried on until 2022.

“The community needed a suitable place to build the boat and was able to purchase an unused, unserviced forestry shed located behind the village hall that was perfect for the purpose. The skiff project brought together people from across the community for twice-weekly build sessions, and saw a great deal of skill development and transfer. When the boat was completed, it was clear that those involved wanted to continue getting together to work on local projects: and so the idea of Shed-na-Mara was born.

“Achnamara is a deeply rural spot and Shed-na-mara provides an opportunity for people from a wide area to get together a couple of times a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am—1pm).

“The Saturday session is run in parallel with a coffee morning held next door in the village hall which brings people in from across our dispersed community. One of the earliest Shed projects has been helping with the refurbishment of the village hall, which now provides a much-improved community space.

“Current members have a range of backgrounds and experience including forestry, metal working, construction, electrical, mechanical, engineering, wood-working and science. This provides a broad range of capabilities to draw on for projects.

“One of our Shed members has a saw mill on his farm and was able to supply local timber for use in the skiff build and for the large work bench installed in the Shed.

“The Shed was recently awarded a grant from the Rural and Island Communities – Ideas into Action fund for the installation of a permanent, independent electrical power and lighting supply which will significantly improve the quality of the work space. The Shed has also had some very welcome donations of tools and equipment which have expanded its capacity.

“Shed-na-mara is now a workspace where men and women, young and old, can get together to work on creative projects or to repair/repurpose used items. It’s run by local members for the benefit of the community and volunteers give their time for free. The Shed fully supports reuse and repurposing to reduce environmental impact. It can take on commissions where people pay for the cost of materials and make a donation to the Shed to help cover running costs and to improve the Shed and its equipment.”

 “Recent projects have included gates, a picnic table, a notice board, boat repairs and chair repairs; we’re currently working on building wooden planters that have been commissioned.

“It’s a great way to come together to use and share our collective skills and to help support our rural community.”

For more information, please visit the Shed-na-mara website and support them by following their progress on Facebook.

Shed in the Spotlight – Nairn Men’s Shed

Nairn Men’s Shed Chairman John Rushforth tells the story of their Shed’s full steam-ahead journey to date at their 19th-century railway station hub.

John said: “Seven years ago, a local public meeting was arranged to discuss the concept of Men’s Sheds and if there was demand and a need for one in Nairn. After this meeting, six of us began meeting regularly at Dunbar Golf Club to drink coffee and dream about Sheds.

“We explored several leads for potential premises including a disused garden centre and old stables, but they just didn’t fit the bill or would cost a scary amount to get up and running – something that would not phase us today.

“We kept meeting every week, enjoying each other’s company and chat, and then a moment of pure serendipity happened at a local football match when a Trustee was walking to the game with a friend and happened to point out a disused building on the south platform stating ‘That would make a grand Shed!”.

“The person he was talking to worked for Scotrail, the leaseholder of the building (the old Stephen Seedhouse florist building) which had previously been an old waiting room at the train station. Scotrail had been unable to lease the building out to anyone else so it was just sitting empty and getting in a bit of a mess. It was a fantastic building though and had huge potential to meet our needs.

“So, in 2017, we applied for a lease and within two weeks had received a long-term lease at £1 per annum. We got the building, but then had nothing to put in it and part of our lease agreement was to do up the outside of the building which would both cost a pretty penny.

“We reached out to the Railway Heritage Trust which offers grants for the reinstatement, maintenance, repair and restoration of railway historic buildings, structures, and fittings and the Davidson (Nairn) Charitable Trust, which benefits the community in the Nairn area or district, and they both offered to stump up half of the total costs each.

“We were off and running – kitting out the Shed, making the building fit-for-purpose and transforming the exterior of the building back to its former glory – and just like the famous quote from the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams – ‘If you build it, they will come’ – they certainly did.

“Thanks to funding from the Co-op Local Community Fund and a visit from Axminster Tools, we have an incredible workshop with every tool and piece of machinery that our members could dream of. I, as a self-confessed non-DIYer, am happy to be banned from the workshop, it just isn’t my thing. After a career in social work since the age of 19, give me the chatting and form-filling any day!

“Some of the members on the other hand, like to get their teeth into projects especially the ones linked to helping our community like making a craft table for the Nairn Alzheimer’s Group and storage boxes for the football club to name but a few.

“Projects close to our heart are also the ones linked to the heritage of the railway station like the restoration of the railway clock and owning the original ‘Nairn’ railway sign that was purchased and gifted to us by Sheena Baker, in recognition of her husband and our founding Chairman, Jeff Baker. The sign is now proudly on display in the Shed social area in his honour.

“Things were going swimmingly and our activities evolved to include walking, crafting, painting, playing games, computing and woodworking but we still especially enjoyed our Tuesday and Thursday morning social gatherings where we put the world to right and just share a cuppa – the most important part of the Shed as far as we are concerned.

“Our oldest member, who is 94, sits and shares his stories which is great for him, and us. We used to have a member, sadly now passed, who saw his place at the Shed to make everybody a cuppa and dare you to try to make your own he would be annoyed – that was his contribution and ‘purpose’ and one of our veteran members enjoys coming along as ‘there is no commitment for me to do anything at the Shed’.

“As numbers increased, we started to notice we were outgrowing our social space. Our ‘glue’ is that we sit and chat. No topic is off the menu so making this space larger to accommodate everyone was incredibly important to us – you can never have too many friends.

“Across on the north platform, was another old waiting room previously used by the florist for storage and it had two big rooms and a toilet but was quite derelict. We contacted Scotrail and to our delight, our lease was extended to include the additional building. The Railway Heritage Trust once again helped us as long as we refurbished the old toilet/storage shed on the South platform. They gave us the grant to improve the interior and the work on the Shed. A really nice bonus is that we are paid hourly to maintain the exterior of our own buildings! We now had the big social space required to accommodate our growing membership and also space for computers and a craft area. And just then, as things were looking bright, COVID hit us.

“Throughout lockdown, our members were incredibly active on Zoom. At each meeting, we had around 20+ members online and staying connected. It was so popular that we also extended an invitation for anyone to join which was great. We had people from Sheds all over the world joining from Australia to Hawaii. It’s funny as now that we have returned to the Shed, I can’t get them to go anywhere near Zoom.

“Today, we have 70+ members, all very much active, and this Shed is making a phenomenal difference in their lives. Only the other day, we had 25 members turn up just for a coffee and you could feel the buzz in the room. Such a lively bunch, happy chatting away and working on a range of different community projects.

“We also have a Saturday activity where some of the younger Shedders join us for an intense and extremely competitive game of Dungeons and Dragons (pictured above left).

“We are currently in such a good place and also have some exciting plans for the future including visiting other Sheds which we will apply to the Scottish Community Alliance Community Learning Exchange programme for our travel expenses through our SMSA membership.

“Some weeks we are open five days, there is always something on, but we still have the potential to do even more. To pursue these plans however, like all Sheds, we need more leaders to deliver this. We are in discussions with Scotrail regarding two old signal boxes (one pictured above right) with a vision of turning one into a Shed allotment/community garden and the other into a model railway club. We already have interest in both from the current membership and think it would bring in additional members also. To be honest, I think we will be beating them off with a stick!

“We have a brilliant set of Directors, everyone has a specific purpose and role to do. It is an absolute hoot. Nairn Men’s Shed is a place where two men, who have work and life experiences that are poles apart – who would probably have never crossed paths before – meet and bond. This is what it is all about.

“Our Shed journey sounds so care-free that we sometimes feel guilty when hearing about other Sheds struggling but then I remember, that this is the way it should be and Sheds should be recognised for this and supported to do what they do.”

Follow Nairn Men’s Shed on Facebook to keep up-to-date with their progress.

Shed in the Spotlight: Orkney Men’s Shed

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 website for the latest updates.

Shed in the Spotlight: Lanark Men’s Shed

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.

“We also could not have done this without the support of our other funders—Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) and the National Lottery Community Fund and of course, South Lanarkshire Council.

“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.

Shed in the Spotlight: Biggar and District Men’s Shed

Towards the end of 2021, Biggar and District Men’s Shed moved to its new permanent location, at the former Walston Primary School, in Elsrickle. A few months into its new home, the Shed reflects on its journey so far and announces big plans for the future.

Richard Crosse from the Shed said: “Peter Brotherstone was the man responsible for getting the Men’s Shed in Biggar started whilst in his role as Beadle of Biggar Parish Church in the early months of 2018.

“He had seen many situations where men, whose wives had passed on, were at a loss as to what to do with themselves. He felt that most women, in a similar situation, handled the situation better than men as they found companionship with other women. Unfortunately, not all men open up to other men as easily.

“Initially, the meetings were mainly held in the Gillespie Centre in Biggar but some more suitable accommodation was found in Symington, sharing a corner of an industrial unit used by the Albion Foundation, leased from the Hometown Trust.

“Upon starting in Symington, it was amazing how much tools and equipment we acquired from donations. Initially, the members brought in tools that were surplus to their needs but once word spread about the Shed, the general public began making donations, including 16 surplus office chairs and surplus office desks.

“During the later part of 2018 and the early months of 2019, the search for more suitable premises continued. However, it became more focused, when the Hometown Foundation gave the Albion Foundation notice to quit the premises in Symington by the middle of May 2019. This meant that the Men’s Shed would also be required to vacate.

“The search for new premises went into top gear. Various locations were identified including the old Police Station in Biggar, and Loaningdale (a former outward bound centre). Thankfully James Cameron, who owned Loaningdale, was open to helping us and offered us the possibility of using two vacant adjoining semi-detached properties, which had previously been used as staff accommodation, to which we readily agreed.

“We moved to Loaningdale in Autumn 2019 and it took a bit of getting used to as it was completely different from the industrial unit we had just left. It did not have the large spaces that we had before and a lot of thought had to go into making best use of the space available. However, we all adapted and were eternally grateful to Loaningdale for allowing us to set up our Shed in these premises.

“We got involved in local events including The Biggar Agricultural Show and The Biggar Vintage Vehicle Show to promote the Shed and its activities and seek to increase our membership. We started 2020 with great ambition and ideas. Membership had grown to 30 and there were a number of interesting projects in the pipeline. These included working with the local Beavers to create a garden at the rear of the Legion Hall in Biggar and working with the nursery at Symington Primary School.

“Then, the pandemic hit and everything drew to a halt.  The Shed was unable to meet due to lockdown but we continued the search for a better and more permanent home.  After some long negotiations with South Lanarkshire Council and much hard work, we managed to secure a 10-year lease of the former Primary School at Walston.

“We have now been in our new premises for just over six months. So far, the woodwork shop is up and running and a ramp for disabled access is in place. We have also made a start on improving insulation and preliminary work has started on the garden area.  Membership is back up to 35 and the future looks bright.

“Before our takeover, the school building was unused for a considerable period of time and had deteriorated somewhat, becoming rather cold and damp. We have big plans to update and improve matters but this will take time.

“Heating the building with its current system is proving very challenging. However, we are getting through winter and our enthusiastic membership is working hard.

“Some of the projects in the pipeline include: installing new double glazing; upgrading to ECO heating; creating an allotment area, with polytunnel, for our green-fingered Shedders; finalising the woodworking area; and clearing the middle hall to create an arts and craft area.

“We are grateful to the many enterprises and individuals for their generous donations of tools, materials etc. and for the excellent support we are receiving from the community and are confident that we will be able to create a first-class facility that will benefit all in our surrounding communities.”

The Shed meets every Wednesday and Thursday, from 10am – 4pm—all visitors are very welcome. For more information, please contact info@biggarmensshed.uk or call 07471 491099. You can also visit their website and follow them on Facebook.