SMSA 'Scottish Men’s
Shed of the Year Awards

Based in The Pagoda in Bearsden, the Shed welcomes members aged from 23 to 93 and is open an impressive seven days a week—Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm and weekends, 1pm-4pm—providing an accessible and welcoming place where friendships flourish, skills are shared and no one has to ever face isolation alone.

The Shed’s impact can be seen across the local community through an impressive range of projects, particularly those supporting children and young people. One standout initiative saw members provide facilities and technical expertise to a local secondary school, helping pupils build a model racing car using the Shed’s CNC router. The team went on to achieve third place in a national competition.

Another much-loved project has been the construction of mud kitchens for local schools and nurseries, including one serving both mainstream and neurodivergent children in an area of high deprivation. By transforming a concrete playground into an engaging outdoor learning space, the project helped encourage play, creativity and greater interaction and learning between pupils.

That commitment to supporting young people continues today. Members have recently built recycled timber planters, fencing and bespoke outdoor furniture for Baljaffray Nursery School, while an innovative road safety project is producing custom-designed bollards for local primary schools to promote safer parking outside school gates. With backing from the local community council and growing interest from schools across the area, the initiative has the potential to expand well beyond the local community.

The Shed also shares practical skills directly with younger generations. Brownie groups regularly visit to learn how to use tools safely while completing projects towards their “Skills for Your Future” badge, and each year the Shed hosts a special leavers’ event for local primary pupils as they prepare to move on to secondary school.

While community projects are a defining feature of the Shed, member wellbeing remains its core purpose. Extensive opening hours, weekly social lunches during the winter months and a culture of friendship ensure members always have somewhere to go, someone to talk to and something meaningful to do.

For many, the Shed has become a lifeline. Members have formed lasting friendships, supporting one another through bereavement, ill health and life’s challenges. One 92-year-old member, who visits daily, described the Shed as “a boon” following the loss of his wife, praising the kindness and friendship he has found there.

The Shed’s work has also earned recognition from healthcare professionals, with a local psychiatrist providing an unsolicited testimonial highlighting the positive impact it has on members’ wellbeing.

Beyond its own walls, Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed also supports the wider Shed movement, sharing its experience with developing Sheds in Bishopbriggs and Helensburgh and helping them establish strong foundations for the future.

By improving lives through friendship, practical skills and outstanding community engagement, Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed has become an inspiring example of what the Shed movement can achieve.

It’s this exceptional commitment to both its members and the wider community that earned the Shed the title of West Coast (North) Regional Winner in the Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year Awards 2026.