SMSA 'Scottish Men’s
Shed of the Year Awards
Applications open Monday 20th April and close noon Tuesday 30th June 2026
The ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ awards recognise and reward the contribution and impact Men’s Sheds make to society—telling the story to raise awareness of the benefits of Sheds to men, their family and friends and the community as a whole.
Every summer, the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) opens its prestigious ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards to applications from Men’s Sheds across Scotland.
The awards also afford the opportunity to find out about the challenges faced by Sheds and how they overcame them so that others can learn from their experience. Our runner-up finalists and winner receive an array of prizes.
The awards also afford the opportunity to find out about the challenges faced by Sheds and how they overcame them so that others can learn from their experience. The winner receives the esteemed targe trophy to display at their Shed for a year in addition to receiving an array of prizes from supporting partners.
2025 Winner Clyde Coast & Cumbraes Men's Shed
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 >
Timeline and Deadlines 2026
• Mon 20th Apr – Applications open
• Tues 30th Jun – Applications close at noon, and regional judges begin their deliberations
• By Mon 6th Jul – Five regional Sheds are selected by regional judges
• Tues 7th Jul – Applications for the five regional Sheds submitted to SMSA Board
• By Mon 13th Jul – SMSA Board select their top three
• By Mon 3rd Aug – Three Finalists’ visits and films complete
• Tues 4th Aug – Members’ vote opens
• Tues 18th Aug – Members’ vote closes at noon
• Fri 28th Aug – Winner announced at SMSA Gathering, AGM & Awards event in Perth
Region 1: East Coast (North)
- Aberdeen
- Aberdeenshire
- Angus
- Dundee
- Fife
- Moray
- Perth & Kinross
Region 2: East Coast (South)
- Borders
- Clackmannan
- East Lothian
- Edinburgh
- Falkirk
- Midlothian
- Stirling
- West Lothian
Region 3: West Coast (North)
- Argyll & Bute
- East Dunbartonshire
- Glasgow City
- West Dunbartonshire
Region 4: West Coast (South)
- Dumfries & Galloway
- East Ayrshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Inverclyde
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
Region 5: Highlands & Islands
- Highland
- Orkney
- Shetland
- Wester Isles
A Microsoft Word document containing all application questions is available to download here.
You may find it helpful to prepare your answers offline before copying and pasting them into the online form.
If you have any queries regarding your application, please contact SMSA Communications Officer Michelle Wibrew at comms@scottishmsa.org.uk
OUR PREVIOUS WINNERS:
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.”
