The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is today announcing the winner of the ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2022 as Men’s Shed Govan.
The awards event capped off weeks of public voting for three worthy finalists – Inverurie & District Men’s Shed, Lanark Men’s Shed and Men’s Shed Govan – as they battled it out to get their communities and supporters behind them to cast those all-important votes.
With over 200 open or developing Men’s Shed groups now in existence across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, Men’s Shed Govan was unveiled as the winner – live by the SMSA at the awards ceremony on Tuesday 6th December 2022. Inverurie & District Men’s Shed then pipped Lanark Men’s Shed to the post to claim second place.
Commenting on the award, Men’s Shed Govan Chairman Martin Haddow, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award. We have purposefully offered a wide and varied range of activities to meet our members’ needs – after all, not everyone likes woodwork and that is not the be all and end of Men’s Sheds. There is such a strong sense of camaraderie and the Shed has improved the quality of lives of its members by giving them a purpose, people to talk to and things to try and do. We are extremely proud to have turned a previously derelict nursery and undeveloped outdoor space that was being used as a dumping ground into a vital resource for our community that is hugely benefitting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of 70+ members.”
Men’s Shed Govan, which became a Scottish charity in January 2018, has a strong ‘make it, build it, grow it’ ethos with activities on offer including arts and crafts, photography, music, model railway, cooking/baking, bike repairs, woodworking and growing vegetables and herbs in their raised beds and polytunnel in the Shed garden and nearby allotments. Their events over the years include art classes, Tai Chi, wicker craft, community fairs, musical events, quiz nights, author talks and day trips to name but a few.
Award-winning practice nurse Sarah Everett, who won the Royal College of Nursing Institute Patients Choice Award for UK and the Glasgow Times Community Champion Award in 2019, set up the Shed when she saw an unmet need in Govan. Interested members came together to refurbish a derelict ex-nursery into their new Shed premises. Sarah began offering health checks to members on a voluntary basis and she also gave advice on long-term conditions.
The Shedders are encouraged to keep fit through the use of their exercise room and plan to start outdoor walks and cycle rides. The Shed hosts healthy talks on topics such as prostate cancer, bowel cancer, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening and First Aid and has created partnerships and worked on projects for local schools and hospices. The Shed also offers a garden tidy service for older people and provides produce from its allotment and polytunnel to a local food poverty project, Moogety Community Meals.
Following the tragic death of one of their Shedders’ family members, George Benson, the Shed understood that he could have survived if there had been a defibrillator nearby. Making it their mission to secure this life-saving kit, the Shed organised a sponsored 12-hour Exercise-a-thon, where they worked as a team to use their exercise bike, treadmill and cross-trainer in relay for a constant 12-hour period – raising £1,645 towards the cause. The local church then raised £375 through their congregation to hit the target to install a defibrillator for use to the general public 24 hours a day.
Jason Schroeder, SMSA Chief Executive Officer, said: “The purpose of the awards is two-fold – we unite to recognise and celebrate the often-unsung contributions made by Men’s Sheds and the men, who are all volunteers, that attend them. Additionally, the awards exist to break down the perceptions that Sheds are just for older, retired men, that want to tinker in the workshop. They are so much more than that and Men’s Shed Govan certainly highlights this. Each of the Men’s Sheds groups across Scotland is unique in that the activities it offers is led by the members’ needs to benefit the health and wellbeing of all local men aged 18 or over.
“For the awards this year, we received the largest number of applications and public votes to date and it is fantastic to see the public rally together to support a vital resource in their communities.”
Men’s Shed Govan will now receive 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 will also receive a replica of the trophy, created by David Young Training, to be displayed in their Sheds to recognise them as 2022 finalists.
The winner and runners-up also receive a range of prizes from the SMSA and their partners and sponsors. The winner and runners-up also receive a range of prizes from the SMSA and their partners and sponsors. Men’s Shed Govan receives over £2,300 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 £400 cabinet tool kit from Cromwell; a free Machine Competency and Woodwork training day from David Young Trainingworth £660; a year’s free Shed accounts package fromThyme Accountantsworth £360 to support the Shed Treasurer; and goodies from Scottish shortbread maker, Dean’s of Huntly.
Men’s Shed Govan is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am – 2pm. All welcome. For more information, please visit www.mensshedgovan.online.
Head to the Shed – find the Shed closest to you on the SMSA website at www.scottishmsa.org.uk/find-a-shed
