New Shed on the Block celebrates double triumph

They may have only officially opened in October of this year, but Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed is certainly making its mark as their members celebrated a double triumph in the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement world this week.

Representatives from the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) – the national support hub for the 200+ Men’s Sheds across Scotland – travelled on Thursday 23rd November 2023 to hand-deliver the Shed’s esteemed targe trophy and prizes for winning ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ 2023 in addition to a very special donated guitar for winning the ‘Battle of the Shed Bands’.

SMSA CEO Jason Schroeder said: “When we started these awards back in 2019, their purpose was to celebrate, recognise and reward Scottish Men’s Sheds for the work they are carrying out in their Sheds to improve men’s health and wellbeing and the impact that they are making in their local communities. Since then, the awards have grown tenfold.

“It is a level-playing field for all the Sheds that apply – some have been on the go for over ten years now and some are new and developing. Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed, as the new Shed on the block, is now the fifth Shed to receive this prestigious title and has proved through this win that these groups of volunteers are making just as big of an impact in a short space of time. Our previous Shed finalists and winners over the years report gaining immense status not just where they live, but also nationally with funders, supporters and the media which was unprecedented.”

The Association’s CEO Jason presented the Shed members with the unique SMSA targe trophy which was the brainchild of former SMSA Chairman Derek Keiller – engraved with the Shed name and displayed in a very fitting Shed-style stand designed and produced by inaugural winner, Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed who was also present at the event. The Shed will hold the trophy until the 2024 award winner is announced.

Along with the title and trophy, the Shed receives £2,000 of prizes to support the running of their Shed including a £500 unrestricted cash prize from the SMSA (paid for through SMSA Shed Membership fees); a £150 voucher from Axminster Tools; a £250 voucher from Scotmid Co-operative to keep the guys going for a while in tea and biscuits; a free Machine Competency and Woodwork training day from David Young Training worth £638; and a year’s free accounts package from Thyme Accountants worth £360 to support their Treasurer.

SMSA CEO Jason then went on to present the ‘Battle of the Shed Bands’ prize to the Shed donated by partner organisation, 12 Guitars – the social enterprise uses the guitar as an enabler to provide the enjoyment and life-changing benefits that playing guitar can bring to people of all ages and backgrounds. The band was overwhelmed to receive the prize – a Michael Batio MAB Gold Relic guitar manufactured by Dean Guitars.

Shed Chairman Bob Copland who is in the band said: “We couldn’t believe it when we won the Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year title, and then were doubly gobsmacked when we went on to be announced as the winner of the inaugural Shed bands contest too. We thank the SMSA, 12 Guitars and everyone that voted for us for both – it has created such a buzz in the Shed. When we shared the news with our members that our band had also won, they were delighted thinking that they had won a photo print of the guitar, then found out that we had actually won the guitar itself! We are over the moon to say the least.”

At the presentation event, the Banff & Macduff Shedders band – vocalist Graham Souter, drummer Alex Sutherland, Bob Copland on bass, John Bloor on rhythm guitar and lead guitarist Bob Brown playing the new guitar – not only entertained guests to the Shed with their winning song ‘Don’t Rock the Jukebox’ but also performed live on air to Deveron FM listeners who were also treated to a live interview from the SMSA sharing the great news.

Chairman Bob Copland (now 62), who suffered his first stroke at the age of 29, said: “The Battle of the Shed Bands was a great opportunity to feature that there are more to Men’s Sheds than just woodwork. Some men are just not interested in DIY and have so many other hobbies and interests that can bring them together for better conversations. Our band members have all performed in other bands in the past and playing together at the Shed has been great.

“I returned to play the guitar as part of my recovery process following a stroke which affected my left side. My left hand used to seize up and I thought, if I can just keep working my hand it will come good, and through playing the guitar regularly, it did. Many of our members have a background story to tell, our vocalist Graham is a recovering alcoholic and our drummer Alex didn’t leave the house for years following a horrific attack and was left for dead. Our rhythm guitarist John Bloor is also recovering from prostate cancer which was only discovered when he decided to go to his GP to get checked after a conversation with another Shed member. It really is fair to say that joining the Men’s Shed and playing in the band is truly life-changing for all of us.”

Jason added: “We are trying to get the message out there to men living in Scotland that you don’t have to know how to make a bird box to join a Men’s Shed. The Shed is just the place that brings men together either with common interests or with skills and talents that they can share with others or just come along for the craic and a cuppa whilst improving your health and wellbeing. Both commonalities and diversity make for better conversations in the Shed.”

Head to the Shed – find the Shed closest to you on the SMSA website ‘Find a Shed’ map.

Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed crowned ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ 2023

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has revealed the winner, chosen by the general public, of the 2023 ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ title as Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed at their national gathering, AGM and awards event today.

The announcement was made following three weeks of public voting. The votes came down to the wire for three worthy finalists – Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed, Carluke Men’s Shed and Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed – as they rallied for their communities and supporters to get behind them.

Over 200+ open or developing Men’s Shed groups, across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, were invited to apply for the awards process before being shortlisted to three by the SMSA Board of Trustees. Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed was then unveiled as the winner – live by the SMSA at the awards ceremony on Friday 10th November 2023 receiving a tremendous 46% of the votes with Carluke Men’s Shed coming a close second – with only 45 votes between them – and Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed in third place.

Commenting on the award, Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed Chairman Bob Copland, said: “We are absolutely gobsmacked, we really did not expect to be shortlisted let alone win. We wish to take this opportunity to congratulate and recognise the outstanding work being carried out by our fellow finalists Carluke Men’s Shed and Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed and all the Sheds across Scotland.

“We are overwhelmed, and thankful to the SMSA, for the amount of publicity and interest that the awards have drummed up for us. Thanks go to each of our members for everything they do to make the Shed a success and to every single person that voted for us.”

Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed’s journey began back in 2017 when a group of eight men began meeting in a room above the Railway Inn Banff. In 2018, the Shed set their sights on the former Fife Street School in Macduff – a large empty granite building that was up for sale. After a few hiccups and a pandemic in the way, the Shed gained access in September 2022 and signed a 99-year lease in March of this year.

The Shed’s varied activities include woodwork, gardening, machinery maintenance, computing, music group/band, snooker, table tennis, cards and board games, group debates, presenting shows on their local radio station and photography to name but a few. The Shed has also dedicated two rooms solely to let to community groups including Deveron Camera Club, puppy training classes, a street dance group, the Macduff Crafters and the North Aberdeenshire Integrated Drug and Alcohol Service Health and Social Care Partnership which holds weekly acupuncture classes for people suffering from addiction.

The Macduff Market has full use of the premises once a month and there is also a regular presence from the Community Food Initiative North East’s mobile food service van to serve the community. The Shed recently hosted Macduff’s first-ever car boot sale which was a great success. Their list of projects is vast and they have had a huge impact with the younger and older generations in their community in such a short period of time. The Shed has mentored Macduff Primary pupils within the Nurture Hub, worked with Banff Academy and the local Brownies group to build bird boxes as well as refurbished a sun house, seating and built a greenhouse for the local sheltered housing complex.

Jason Schroeder, SMSA CEO, said: “Our three finalists are all excellent examples of best practice and the reason behind showcasing these Sheds through these awards. Our winner is not only improving the health, wellbeing and general quality of life of the members that attend but this group of volunteers has also saved this building from demolition and brought it back for immense community benefit. They are sharing this fantastic community resource with other local groups – as there was a lack of suitable and affordable meeting spaces in the area – resulting in bringing the community together through shared premises, assets and knowledge and to also generate income towards the running of the facility to ensure it is here for many years to come.”

Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed were presented with the esteemed SMSA targe trophy – created and designed by former SMSA Chairman Derek Keiller and several Men’s Shed members – engraved with the Shed name and displayed in a unique stand designed and produced by inaugural winner, Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed. The two runners up received a replica trophy, created by David Young Training, to be displayed in their Sheds to recognise them as 2023 finalists.

The winner and runners-up also receive a range of prizes from the SMSA and their partners and sponsors. Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed receives £2,000 of prizes to support their Shed including a £500 cash prize from the SMSA (paid for through SMSA Shed Membership fees); a £150 voucher from Axminster Tools; a £250 voucher from Scotmid Co-operative; a free Machine Competency and Woodwork training day from David Young Training worth £638; and a year’s free Shed accounts package from Thyme Accountants worth £360 to support the Shed Treasurer.

This year’s event, the first gathering of Scottish Men’s Sheds since the pandemic, included a new fun entertainment element entitled ‘Battle of the Shed Bands’ with performances from three Shed bands – Simply Shed’ from Stonehouse Men’s Shed, ‘The Woodshedders’ from Culter & District Men’s Shed and the ‘Banff & Macduff Shedders’ – who competed for votes from the event delegates.

Banff & Macduff Shedders
The WoodShedders
Simply Shed


Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed celebrated a double win as they were selected by the audience to win a Michael Batio MAB Gold Relic guitar manufactured by Dean Guitars donated by the social enterprise 12 Guitars which uses the guitar as an enabler to provide the enjoyment and life-changing benefits that playing guitar can bring to people of all ages and backgrounds. The Banff & Macduff Shedders band formed almost six years ago to ‘get together to play some tunes for fun’. Commenting, Bob Copland, said: “All we want to do really is have a bit of fun and not let our instruments, or ourselves, collect dust.”

Jason added: “We are not just about woodwork in Men’s Sheds – far from it – as strongly evidenced by the Sheds celebrated at today’s event. Sheds are all unique and offer a diverse range of activities to meet their members’ needs and the volunteers all have talents and skills they wish to utilise and share with others. Music and bands were just one element that we wished to showcase at our national gathering.”

John Conroy from ‘The Woodshedders’ group from the Culter & District Men’s Shed said: “We use our group to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of singing as it can boost confidence, encourage expression and social bonding. Music and singing are really good for you, the known physical benefits include enhancing lung function, helping to relieve stress and anxiety, also improving memory.

“Current members Erik Stein, Peter Helms, Graham James, Paul Bothamley, and I never set out to be a performing group but were encouraged by former Shed Chairman Bill Jamieson to start performing at Shed events before venturing out to public engagements. Our ethos is that ‘music is the universal language of mankind’ and the recording played at the SMSA event was from our first-ever public performance at Deeside Golf Club, Aberdeen, so it is very close to our hearts.

“It is hard to describe the feel-good factor that our group gains from singing in a relaxed environment. We love to make our audience happy and hope to continue for as long as we can. We urge other Sheds to consider setting up their own music groups and encourage members of the public to consider joining or starting up a music group at their local Men’s Shed.” Head to the Shed – find the Shed closest to you on the SMSA website at www.scottishmsa.org.uk/find-a-shed

National Shed Gathering, SMSA AGM & ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2023

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS NOW PASSED

SMSA members are invited to attend a national gathering hosted by the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association.

The not-to-be-missed event affords the opportunity for Men’s Sheds across Scotland to connect, share and learn. The jam-packed agenda will allow plenty of time for networking, a fun ‘Battle of the Shed Bands’ feature showcasing the musical talents of some of our Scottish Shedders, as well as some short AGM business and the ever-popular ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2023 where Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed, Carluke Men’s Shed or Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed will be crowned the winner.

The event will take place on Friday 10th November 2023, 10am to 3pm at Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed, Swan House, 2 Explorer Road, Dundee, DD2 1GB and a networking lunch will be provided.  Booking is essential (max of five per Shed).


PRESENTATION OF SMSA ANNUAL ACCOUNTS

As part of the AGM business section of this event, the SMSA will present its Annual Report & Financial Statements for the period 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 and ask members to approve the accounts.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, please use the voting form provided to submit your vote and any queries by Wednesday 15th November 2023. Your vote is important to the due diligence and good governance of your charity and we look forward to receiving them.

Vote for your ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ 2023

Banff, Macduff & District Men’s Shed
Carluke Men’s Shed
Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed

THE PUBLIC VOTE HAS NOW CLOSED, THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE AWARDS EVENT

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE EVENT ON FRIDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2023

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), the national support hub for Scottish Men’s Sheds, announces its three finalists, shortlisted by the SMSA’s Board of Trustees, for this prestigious award that recognises and rewards the contribution and life-changing impact that these vital and invaluable volunteers – also known as ’Shedders’ – across Scotland are making to their own lives and in their communities.

The three 2023 finalists are Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed; Carluke Men’s Shed; and Carse of Gowrie & District Men’s Shed.    

Bob Copland, Chairman of Banff, Macduff & District Men’s Shed, said: “We are delighted and honoured to be shortlisted for this year’s awards. It has come as a huge surprise given the high standard of the Sheds across Scotland that we read about in the SMSA’s magazine, ‘The Scottish Shedder’.

“I am extremely proud of our Shed and all of our members.  We continually hear about the benefits of Men’s Sheds in communities all around the world and I am delighted that our Shed is being recognised for the achievements and progress that has been made in the short time that we have been in our new premises.  We would also like to wish the two other finalists the best of luck and look forward to meeting them at the awards event.”

Bill Beckers, Secretary of Carse of Gowrie & District Men’s Shed, said: “We are thrilled to be in the running for this year’s awards and it is great to see a good spread across Scotland with the Shed finalists. We would not be in our tenth year of running our Shed without the hard work and dedication of our members. Without their co-operation and each member having the opportunity to voice their opinions to run ‘their Shed’ at monthly meetings, we simply would not still be here a decade on. The members and the trustees really do go over and above to make the Shed a success, meet the needs of our 70-strong membership and deliver for our community.”

Tom Kennedy, Treasurer of Carluke Men’s Shed, said: “The men just can’t believe it – we are over the moon. This is huge recognition for all of our hard work over the last four years. We stuck to it, through the pandemic, and our Shed has really grown in popularity and accomplished so much in our community. We are only a few weeks away from moving into our new premises and now have even more of a reason to celebrate. Onwards and upwards.”

Jason Schroeder, SMSA’s CEO, said: “Our awards, now in their fifth year, offer the chance to showcase the positive impact that Men’s Sheds are making in their localities to improve the health and wellbeing of men aged 18+ across Scotland. Each year, the awards get bigger and better and we received a record response and exceptional applications.

“It is now time to give the public a chance to have their say. There is however no fierce competition and I am delighted that all three finalists are supporting each other and wish each other well – which is what the Men’s Sheds Movement is all about. This event is about showcasing and celebrating the work being carried out and raise awareness so that every man in Scotland is aware of and has the opportunity to attend his local Shed if he wishes to do so.”

For the first time since the pandemic, Sheds across Scotland will physically gather at the awards event on Friday 10th November 2023 at Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed, 10am – 3pm. The event will coincide with the Association’s AGM business and also be an opportunity for a national gathering for Sheds to connect, learn, share and network.  The SMSA will also update its members on the MOT4Men preventative men’s health programme to be delivered in Sheds and also feature some entertainment from Shed bands.

The winner will be announced live at the event and receive the esteemed targe trophy to display at their Shed for a year on top of a cash prize from the SMSA (paid back from SMSA Shed membership fees) and goodies from sponsors and partner organisations including Machine Competency and Woodwork training through David Young Training.

The public has until midnight on Sunday 29th October 2023 to vote to crown the winner which will be announced at the SMSA national gathering, AGM and Awards event on Friday 10th November 2023. Click here to register your place.

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.

A Personal Story: Alfie Wood

The SMSA chats to RAF veteran and retired boat builder Alfie Wood (79) from Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed on what he gets out of his local Men’s Shed.

Alfie said: “I began working at the age of 11 on my paper round and left school at the age of 15 to build large wooden fishing boats.

“I then served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) for 12 years as a Corporal—protecting airfields and helicopters—and as a result had the experience of travelling all over the world. For a short time after that I became a joiner for a local firm before returning to boat building for 37 years.

“I was fortune to be part of the small team that constructed the 85ft masts for the RSS Discovery (pictured below—Alfie in the red top). I was the chargehand and we received the wood which was specially selected from ‘straight as they come’ trees back in 1988 and dried it out—ensuring the perfect air flow—before making the masts in 1991 following the original drawings. I am extremely proud to have been involved in that project.

“On top of all of that I was also part-time in the Fire Brigade for over 20 years, volunteered at the boat yard and have been known to pose as Santa Claus in my time!

“I would not say I am a workaholic, but boy did I have a great career until retiring at 65. Not many people can declare this but I am proud to say that I have lived an extremely full and fulfilling life and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Yes, it has had its ups and downs but I have loved it and have no plans of stopping anytime soon.

“I am starting to feel my age now, the body and mind are not quite what they used to be but I still go for a walk every single day, watch what I eat, look after my house and make sure to attend my local Men’s Shed—Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed—most days.

“As a retired and divorced man, I go for the company but also after working my whole life, the Men’s Shed gives me purpose and a place to go to utilise my skills as a builder and joiner and also share this with other members.

“Five years ago, I heard about Men’s Sheds and just knew there and then that it was for me. I went along and joined straight away. I have been involved from the start and one of the best memories of my time at the Shed so far was having our 99-year lease approved for the former Fife Street school by Aberdeenshire Council.

“We had totally outgrown our North Castle Street home and were in desperate need of larger premises. Now, we have so much space that we can offer this to other community groups.

“The previous owners, Banff and Buchan College, had spent thousands previously renovating the building but it had lain empty for 12 years and still needed a bit of work and a big tidy up. With the Shed only being a 10-minute walk from my house, I was there almost every day helping out.

“Nowadays, however, I am not so able to do the heavier work. I have also never been into modern technology, in fact when I got a laptop, I wanted to throw it out the window and only have a mobile phone for emergencies when I am out on my walks at the request of my family who worry about me. I am totally there for the chat now—which is exactly what Men’s Sheds are about.

“Most of our members are over 60 but we also have some in their 30s and 40s and I am also happy to supervise and mentor the others if they ask for help and require my input.

“I am struggling a bit of late with my memory but can still remember the fondest memories including being six years old when a monkey puzzle tree was planted within the grounds of Banff Castle and a plaque unveiled by the Argentine Ambassador to commemorate the 100-year memorial of a national hero of Argentina, a gentleman called Jose de San Martin, for his leading role in achieving Argentine independence. That tree is now over 7m high now and our Shed were involved in cleaning up that very same plaque recently to return it to its former glory.

“My son and daughter and four grandchildren live close by and are extremely supportive of the Men’s Shed, my son has even been to the Shed a few times and they are delighted that I have this place to go and so many friends.

“As I near my 80th birthday, my plans are to just keep going along to the Shed and keep the brain and body active. Despite slowing down a bit, and taking a bit longer to get there with my walking stick, there’s no stopping me going to the place I love.”

Shed Secretary John Bloor said: “Alfie is a true inspiration to all of us at the Shed. Throughout the pandemic and the agonising process we had to endure to get our Community Asset Transfer, Alfie turned up to every weekly socially distanced and otherwise meeting, believing that we could achieve our objective and spurred us all on.”

SMSA receives funding boost to REACH more men

SMSA Development Officer Tim Green (in blue SMSA polo shirt) visiting Milngavie & Bearsden Men’s Shed for the Greater Glasgow & Clyde Shed Network Meeting last month.

Scottish Men’s Sheds Association receives funding boost to REACH more men

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), the national support hub for Men’s Sheds across Scotland, has secured a funding boost of over £20,000 from the Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Reach programme enabling them to retain their Development Officer and support more men across Scotland as part of Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement to improve men’s health and wellbeing.

The thriving men’s health membership organisation boasts over 3,400+ individual members, 148 Men’s Shed group members and estimates that the Movement voluntarily engages over 10,000 people across Scotland. Founded in 2014, the SMSA exists to inspire and empower men over the age of 18 with time on their hands to become voluntary engaged in their communities through creating and/or attending their own Men’s Sheds to mitigate social isolation, loneliness and boredom.

SMSA CEO Jason Schroeder said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured funding to continue providing one-to-one localised support to Scottish Men’s Sheds on their journey to sustainability and help create new Sheds in communities where there is identified need, disadvantage and social exclusion.

“Due to our prior trial success of having a Development Officer on the ground meeting face-to-face with Men’s Sheds in a post-COVID world, this grant will enable us to further this work and extend our reach across Scotland to empower men to engage with Sheds as part of an active and healthy pathway. This grant contributes towards a fully-funded and permanent dedicated SMSA Development Officer post for the next year and is vital to our work and achieving our outcomes.”

Donald MacKechnie, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Insurance & Wealth Transformation and Strategy Director, Lloyds Banking Group said, “We are delighted to award the SMSA with £20,526 of funding. The cost-of-living crisis means many charities are struggling with increasing expenditure, at a time when the demand for their services is as great as ever. Our grant awards will help charities through the challenging months ahead.”

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.

A Personal Story: David Jarvis

The SMSA interviews British Army Royal Signals veteran and Aberchirder Shedder David Jarvis (41) on why he chose to join his local Men’s Shed following medical discharge and how his resilience led to him representing the UK in this year’s Invictus Games.

David said: “When I left Mintlaw Academy at 17, I became an apprentice in oil and gas. It was a good opportunity but just wasn’t for me so I joined the Territorial Army and enjoyed it so much that I joined the Royal Signals – the British Army’s combat support arm providing communication systems. I have been fortunate enough to have travelled around the world during my 21-year career and loved every minute of it.

“After suffering a knee injury in the army in 2014, I took up cycling as a lower impact form of exercise and quickly became passionate about the sport. Over the years, I began competing in many races including for the Royal Signals Cycling Team (2019 Champion) and for charities. I was then involved in a near-fatal accident in 2019, knocked off my bike breaking my wrist and shoulder and had severe trauma to my ribs and back.

“This unfortunately led to me being medically discharged in January 2022 and adapt to a new way of life and suddenly needed to find a new purpose. But the accident never stopped me getting back on my bike.

“Throughout my career, we had moved on average every 18 months so following my discharge we really wanted to settle into our new home and build up a strong community around us. My wife, two daughters and I moved to Aberchirder last July and on our first day, I went to the shop to get some essentials—still with the house keys in my hand—and also wanted to introduce myself to my new neighbours.

“One of the first people I met was Jim Paterson, Chairman of Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed. We got chatting all about Men’s Sheds and putting the world to rights. I had heard of the Men’s Shed in Banff and read about Sheds on social media so said I would pop along to the Shed to take a look. And, I did just that.

“I have been a member there now for about ten months. I was surprised that there were so many activities on offer including woodworking, welding, crafting, IT and gardening and potential for new groups including photography, modelling, singing and much more. I am keen on exploring the welding and, given my experience, I can offer IT support to bridge the digital skills gap, but at present I am just enjoying the social side.

“It is hard to adjust to civilian life when you leave those barracks. Now I am working from home, full-time in a 9-5 project management job that I love, and we have a busy family so it is great for me to have that place to go to relax, have a brew and be a part of my community.

“Following my move to Aberchirder, I was urged to participate in the Invictus Games. I learned that I was eligible as all of the participants are wounded, injured and/or sick serving personnel and veterans and it is an inspiring initiative to raise awareness and aid in personal recovery.

“I am truly honoured to be the only Scottish man out of the 59 competitors in Team UK and privileged to be a part of bringing 500 fantastic competitors together from 22 nations for these adaptive sports.

“I will be competing in four different sports – powerlifting, indoor rowing, swimming and cycling. Cycling being my primary event and that will take place on the last day of the games.

“Training is tough but also thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding. I like to raise awareness for good causes and fundraise where I can.

“In April this year, I cycled the Loch Ness Etape to raise funds for the veterans’ charity, Erskine. I can really feel my fitness ramping up – as the frequency and intensity of my sessions increase the closer we get.

“Recently however, I started losing weight rapidly and didn’t know why. I went from 85kg to 71kg and have just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

“I now have to manage a whole new transition and way of life to manage my blood sugars whilst training for such a big event but I always have been a sucker for punishment and…I know I’ve got this.”

The Invictus Games will take place from the 9th to 16th September 2023 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Follow David, aka ‘Scaley back cyclist’, on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.