UK Men’s Shed Association (UKMSA) constructed a ‘Men’s Shed’ inside Parliament this week to promote awareness of men’s wellbeing.
Men’s Sheds encourage people to come together to make, repair and repurpose, supporting projects in their local communities.
76% of people felt less anxious after joining a Men’s Shed, and around 13,500 families are currently benefiting from the great work Men’s Sheds does across the UK.
Evidence shows loneliness and isolation can be as hazardous to health as obesity and excessive smoking. Men typically find it more difficult to build social connections than women, and unlike women of a similar age, less older men have networks of friends and rarely share personal concerns about health and personal worries. It is not the case for all men, but for some, when retirement comes, it can feel like personal identity and purpose is lost. Men’s Sheds aim to change all of that.
Sheds are about meeting like-minded people and having someone to share worries, in turn helping to reduce isolation.
Dean, a passionate mental health advocate visited ‘The Shed’ which has been custom built to highlight the health, wellbeing and social benefits of Men’s Sheds across the country.
Dean said, ‘I enjoyed speaking to the team at Men’s Shed to learn about their valuable work on suicide prevention, mental health and loneliness. There are a few ‘Sheds’ around Watford but I hope to see one in our town soon as they have proven to be a lifeline for so many people’.
A formal partnership with the Royal British Legion is being announced this week and will promote the work that both organisations do to support veterans.
Many ‘Sheds’ have a number of veterans as members. The Royal British Legion hope to increase that number by helping Sheds become more accessible, particularly for those with conditions such as PTSD. There are also plans to establish ‘Dementia Sheds’ across the six Royal British Legion Care Homes.
Charlie Bethel, Chief Executive Officer said, “Men’s Sheds work because they are a simple concept people can relate to. Whether it is using sheds to build bird boxes or fix bikes you can see a real pride and sense of achievement in everyone who comes through the door of a Shed.’
