Jake Reid, a former Scots Guard was weeping with laughter when he first found the companionship of Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed. Its two oldest members, in their eighties, use it for respite from the grief and stress of looking after their wives, both of whom suffer from dementia. A younger man, with learning and behavioural difficulties became utterly focused for the first time when working the fretsaw.
“When I gave him a ‘machine operative’ badge, it made his day,” recalls the shed’s chairman and co-founder Derek Keiller.
Scotland’s rapidly growing men’s shed movement is to be joined by five more, after funding from Age Scotland which will enable clubs to be opened in Peterhead, Aberchirder, Peterculter, Stonehaven, and Braemar.
The sheds aim to help tackle loneliness and isolation among older men, by providing somewhere to meet and socialise over activities such as wood-working, metal-working and DIY.
Carse of Gowrie, Scotland’s largest shed with more than 100 members will also receive a grant from the charity, enabling it to move to new premises, custom fitted out for the purpose. So will another 10 schemes around Scotland, from Orkney to Fife, with support paying for everything from start up costs to tools and safety equipment.
“We provide a space for any man with time on his hands to undertake activities and socialise,” Mr Keiller said. “This is an excellent opportunity to allow us to expand further and offer our services to many more members, as well as community groups.” Sheds can also support the NHS and social work services, he says.
Men aren’t always good about finding things to do in later life, or meeting up with friends, he says. Depression and loneliness are major issues, and men don’t talk about their health. Sheds provide an opportunity for all that, and it is not uncommon for retired men to be signed up by their wives, fed up with having them under their feet. “We even get wives driving them down to make sure they come in.”
The Age Scotland pot is £15,000 – no fortune, but part of the success of the concept, which migrated here from Australia, is that what it aims to achieve can be done fairly cheaply. “Finding premises is often the biggest hurdle,” Mr Keiller adds. There are now around 100 men’s sheds across Scotland – five years ago there were none.
Culter and District Men’s Shed is planning to refurbish a disused former Army Cadet hall, with members’ skills including joinery, plumbing and roofing.
Erik Stien, secretary of the club said: “Men are notorious for losing their social connections in retirement and sense of purpose.
“Every man has done a little bit of DIY and enjoyed the companionship of others at work, so we’re trying to bring the two together. It’s a place where people can do some work, share worries, and do something for their local community.”
Age Scotland’s recent report, The Shed Effect, found Men’s Sheds can improve health and wellbeing especially following retirement or bereavement.
Keith Robson, Age Scotland’s Charity Director, said: “Research shows that sheds improve health and wellbeing, and play a key role in combatting loneliness and isolation among older men. I’d encourage anyone with spare time to contact their local shed and see what it has to offer.”
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