SMSA Shed members – Road Trip to Learning

The SMSA are members of the Scottish Community Alliance which comprises of the countries leading community based networks. The Community Learning Exchange opportunity funds their partners members like our Shed Members to learn through the exchange of ideas and the sharing of common Solutions. You can apply for accommodation and travel costs.

After an SMSA Shed ‘upskilling’ presentation day in Saltcoats the men decided a road trip to visit Scotland’s first Men’s Shed at Westhill, Aberdeenshire would be a great opportunity to learn from the men running the oldest Scottish Men’s Shed. The next day they visited the Inverurie Men’s Shed which has a different set up and learnt from them as well.

Pictured here are the N Ayreshire, Garnock Valley Men’s Shed visiting Aberdeenshire’s Inverurie Men’s Shed. Lots of wisdom shared from the East coast where it all started as the West coast of Scotland gets their Sheds going.

Another benefit the SMSA offers our Shed members to get you up and running asap.

Has your Shed or Developing Group become a paid up member? – See all the benefits and click to join here 

     

 

Can you turn chess pieces on a lathe?

Hi guys, we have had a request from a small specialised Edinburgh business wondering if there are any of you who can or want to turn chess pieces which include their small electronic chip which will record the moves.

It could be a nice side line and money earner for you and/or your Shed.

If you are interested please get in touch with me: email – jason@scottishmsa.org.uk

A You Tube link to get you in the mood : www.youtube.com/chess

Roslin Men’s Shed – do you want one?

Tonight at Roslin Bowling Club we will be having a SMSA Men’s Shed presentation to gauge local interest as there are no Men’s Sheds yet in the area –

Time: 7pm

Date: 20 September.

Venue: Roslin Bowling Club 108 Main Street EH25 9LT

Cost: Free

Please tell friends and relatives about this so there is a good attendance and a better chance of success!

Need up to £4000 funding for your project that benefits the community?

Tesco Bags of Help Funding 

Tesco Bags of Help has already funded 780 projects in Scotland – sharing over £4 million pounds between them. As the nights get shorter it’s time submit your application for projects you’d like to happen in Spring 2018 and beyond. We fund a huge variety of projects that bring benefits to the community and every two months in Scotland we award 225 projects a share of over half a million pounds.

Single use carrier bags are no longer available in Tesco but the good news is that Bags of Help will continue with funding from the sale of the new 10p Bag for Life.

Apply online here http://bit.ly/bagsofhelp4

  • Apply anytime for projects that bring benefits to the community
  • Apply for capital and revenue funding between £1000 and £4000
  • Community groups, schools, charities, local authorities and not for profits can all apply

 

Get help to apply from one of our team of Community Enablers http://bit.ly/scotbagsofhelp

A.S. small dev. grants for Men’s Sheds now open!

Age Scotland’s small development grants programme for Men’s Sheds is now open.

They have up to 15 grants of £1000 each to award to Men’s Sheds in Scotland.

 Download link

Men’s Sheds Grants Leaflet, Autumn 2017

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 31st October 2017.

The Men’s Sheds Grants Programme is only open to Category 1 Age Scotland member groups and organisations.   Groups must:

  • Be a constituted voluntary organisation or community group
  • Have a bank account with at least 2 signatories
  • Have a committee/management structure and appropriate insurance cover for your ongoing activities.
Members may hold only one Age Scotland grant at any given time.
They will fund a variety of activities that enable sheds to get started and to operate. In the past they have provided funding support to sheds for the following items:
  • Start-up costs for new sheds
  • Training for volunteers and volunteer expenses
  • Transport for fact finding visits to meet with more established sheds
  • Tools, materials, machinery and equipment
  • Publicity materials and signage
  • Portacabins and storage units
They may also be able to assist with the purchase of tools and building materials to enable Shedders to carry out minor refurbishments of premises owned by the shed.
They are unable to help with on-going running costs such as rent, utility bills, and insurances, or legal fees and staff costs for building refurbishments.

Tim will be able to provide you with: an application form;  discuss your needs prior to making an application; and offer advice and assistance on completing the form. Please do not hesitate to contact him.

Email:  Tim.Green@agescotland.org.uk

Tel:   01383 882151

Mobile: 07718 579 291

 Download link

Men’s Sheds Grants Leaflet, Autumn 2017

NEW RVS/ASDA Shed Start up Funding Open – Second round 2017

SMSA Shed Members – RVS / Asda Foundation Sheds Grant Fund is open for Applications REMINDER – if you were not successful in the first round earlier on in the year- apply again!

http://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/sheds

Shedders urged to apply for funding to support their Shed spaces

The RVS / Asda Foundation Sheds Grant Fund opened on Monday 17th July for applications to help support the set-up of community based, member-run Shed spaces.

Grants of between £250 and £1,000 are available from the Sheds Grant Fund.

Deadline of 5pm Sunday 24th September to be considered.

To find out more about Royal Voluntary Service and Asda Foundation Sheds Grant Fund and to download the Application Form and Guidance Notes, please visit:

http://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/sheds

GOOD LUCK GUYS!

If your Shed or Developing group have not become a SMSA SHED member (not an individual member) do that first so you qualify for applying for this funding –

https://scottishmsa.org.uk/shed-membership-application/ 

The Shed Effect report by Age Scotland

If you have been waiting for the findings of this research from various Men’s Sheds in Scotland, its now available from the Age Scotland website :  The Shed Effect and for our individual members which is free to join ( join-smsa ) you can access it in our online Resource library under the Research section.

There is not much research done on Men’s Health in Scotland  and so all efforts like this really helps us formulate a better picture of the male landscape and to show that there is a real need for male based solutions in helping men particularly with time on their hands for whatever reason to stay happy, healthy and engaged in their communities.

 

SMSA representing at Holyrood Conference – 24 Jan 2017

The SMSA is presenting and representing Scottish Men’s Sheds at the Holyrood Conference tomorrow in Edinburgh – Increasing Access to Community and Adult Education Adult. Men’s Sheds are being seen as part of a new way of achieving the Learning Statement of Ambition in Scotland – We will share our good practice of the Men’s Shed ethos and brief delegates on the key role that Men’s Sheds are starting to play in community and adult education across Scotland.
If you haven’t booked your ticket, do it today.

http://www.holyrood.com/event/increasing-access-community-and-adult-education

National RVS/ASDA Sheds Grant Fund Opens for Applications

Local community groups across the UK are today being encouraged to apply for a share of the Sheds Grant Fund as it opens again for applications to help support the set-up of community Shed spaces.

Sheds are designed and run by their members and provide opportunities for people to socialise, share tools, resources and skills in order to create, learn and develop social networks.

Older people’s charity Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), with funding from the Asda Foundation, run the Sheds Grant Fund to provide small scale funding to Sheds who are looking for help with either set up or next stage development costs.

During 2016, 29 Sheds were awarded funding to kick start or grow their ambitions.

The Sheds Grant Fund is ran in conjunction with the four national Shed Associations representing and supporting Sheds in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Jason Schroeder, Executive Officer of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association said: “We are thrilled that by working together with our national partner RVS we can support this kind of initiative to help in the early stages of Men’s Shed development and thereby benefit individuals, their families, and local communities.”

Jo Phillips, Sheds Project Manager at Royal Voluntary Service said:  “Each Shed is unique due to its location and the activities that the members want to undertake in the space. Whether it is for woodworking, gardening, model making, weaving or electronics, we are delighted to be able to give a helping hand to local communities who want to get a community based Shed up and running.”

Julie Ward, Manager of the Asda Foundation said:  “The Asda Foundation is one of the many ways we can give something back to our local communities. That’s why we lend a hand to a wide range of good causes with which our colleagues are involved with, sharing their passion and helping to make a difference through a variety of projects across the UK.  We see the Sheds programme as making a real difference at a grassroots level and are proud to support this initiative.”

Grants of between £250 and £1,000 are available from the Sheds Grant Fund. All applications need to come from constituted, volunteer led community groups and must be submitted by the deadline of Sunday 5th March to be considered.

To find out more about Royal Voluntary Service and Asda Foundation Sheds Grant Fund and download the Application Form and Guidance Notes, please visit: http://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/sheds

Good luck Shedders!