SMSA 'Scottish Men’s
Shed of the Year Awards
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Meet the Finalists: Stonehaven and District Men’s Shed
From transforming a derelict seafront building into a vibrant community hub to receiving the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2023, Stonehaven & District Men’s Shed has become one of the town’s most valued community organisations. With more than 100 members, a strong commitment to sustainability and projects that change lives both locally and internationally, the Shed continues to demonstrate the extraordinary impact of the Men’s Shed movement.
The journey began in 2016, when a small group of determined volunteers set out to establish a permanent home for the Shed. Two years later, they secured the former Beach Pavilion—a neglected building that required extensive renovation.
Through more than 3,600 volunteer hours, successful fundraising and unwavering commitment, members transformed it into the welcoming facility that now overlooks Stonehaven’s seafront.
The Shed has continued to invest in its future, introducing solar panels, air source heat pumps and battery storage to reduce its environmental impact while creating a modern, sustainable space for members and visitors alike.
Today, around 70 members regularly attend the Shed each week, enjoying a programme that extends well beyond traditional woodworking and metalworking. Alongside craft activities, members can learn CNC routing, laser engraving and 3D printing, ensuring people with a wide range of interests and abilities can develop new skills and remain actively involved.
Health and wellbeing are central to the Shed’s success. Weekly yoga and pilates sessions, together with talks on subjects including dementia and heart health, encourage members to stay physically active while looking after their mental wellbeing. For men living with PTSD, early dementia or loneliness, the Shed provides a welcoming environment where they feel valued, supported and connected.
The Shed has also built an outstanding reputation for its contribution to the wider community. Members organise the popular Stonehaven Farmers’ Market, help run the annual Stonehaven Folk Festival campsite, host regular music sessions and actively support local beach clean-ups and environmental improvement projects, along with a significant amount of other work to benefit the local community.
Perhaps the most remarkable initiative is the Shed’s work collecting and dismantling prosthetic limbs from hospitals across Scotland. Reusable components are sent to Africa, where they have helped create around 600 prosthetic limbs, restoring mobility and transforming lives for people who would otherwise have limited access to such equipment.
The Shed continues to look ahead, developing new opportunities for both members and the wider community. Plans are well advanced to deliver a supervised work experience programme for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), helping them gain practical skills and confidence for the future.
Listening to members has also become part of the Shed’s culture. Following a recent survey, the team is reviewing how it can better support those who have stopped attending and is keen to share its findings with other Sheds across Scotland to help strengthen the wider movement.
Back in 2021, the Shed narrowly missed out on the Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year title, coming a close second to Westhill & District Men’s Shed. Five years on, their recognition as the East Coast (South) Regional Winner marks a well-deserved return to the national awards spotlight.
In 2024, Stonehaven & District Men’s Shed was honoured to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS), the highest recognition a local voluntary group can achieve and the organisational equivalent of an MBE. The award certificate and commemorative crystal were presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire in recognition of the outstanding contribution our volunteers make to the local community. It is an honour of which the entire membership are immensely proud.
Their success has been built on determination, collaboration and a genuine passion for making a big difference in their small Scottish harbour town. From transforming a derelict building into a thriving community hub to improving health and wellbeing, championing environmental sustainability and changing lives across continents through their prosthetics project, Stonehaven & District Men’s Shed continues to demonstrate the remarkable impact a Shed can have.
It’s this outstanding combination of innovation, inclusion and community service that earned the Shed its place among the finalists in this year’s Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year Awards
OUR PREVIOUS WINNERS:
2025 Winner
The 2025 winner, Clyde Coast and Cumbraes Men’s Shed was announced at the SMSA National Gathering on Friday 3rd October 2025. Read the full story here >
2024 Winner
2023 Winner
Despite only officially opening in October 2023, 'New Shed on the Block' Banff, Macduff & District Men's Shed celebrated double triumph not only claiming the 2023 title but also being crowned the inaugural winner of 'Battle of the Shed Bands'.
Commenting on the award, Shed Chairman Bob Copland, said: “We are absolutely gobsmacked, we really did not expect to be shortlisted let alone win. 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.”
2022 Winner
Men’s Shed Govan took home the title in 2022. Men’s Shed Govan Chairman Martin Haddow, said: “We are 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.”
2021 Winner
Westhill & District Men’s Shed—the first-ever Men’s Shed in Scotland—claimed the title in 2021. David Thomson said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this prestigious title that recognises the achievements, over the last eight years, from our extremely active and committed Board of Trustees and members. We have grown significantly over the years and now welcome over 300 members through our doors—averaging nearly 100 member visits per week.”
2020 Winner
In 2020, The Inverclyde Shed was crowned 'Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ – receiving 36% of the total votes from the public. On winning the award, Shed Trustee Bruce Newlands said: “It was a huge surprise being awarded this title from the SMSA, particularly given the difficulties we and every Shed experienced learning to live with COVID-19. The award has helped unlock doors and make new partnerships with a range of people that we previously had not connected with. Many other Sheds have reached out in friendship to learn from how we’ve done things and the lessons we have learned. The award has also brought a great sense of pride to our Shed and our area—a belief that we can be confident that we are really making a difference.”
2019 Winner
In 2019, Aberchirder and District Men’s Shed scooped the title of the very first ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’. The Shed was recognised for the incredible work carried out since its inception in 2016 and the team of seven men who carried out 30,000 man-hours over the 104-week construction process on its Shed build before its official opening in May 2019. Mike O’Brien from Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed, said: “Since winning the title in 2019, we have had a busy and successful time—our reputation just seemed to escalate and we have recently won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service too.”
