Community activity is improving men's mental health
The Sanquhar & District Men's Shed is tackling loneliness and isolation by allowing men to socialise, apply creative skills and support their physical and mental well-being.
The Whiteside Hill Wind Farm Community Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in areas covered by the community councils of Kirkconnel and Kelloholm and the Royal Burgh of Sanquhar and District. This fund is provided by Netro Energy, which manages the Whiteside Hill Wind Farm.
The Sanquhar & District Men's Shed has been awarded £13,909 of funding, over 3 years, by the Whiteside Hill Wind Farm Community Fund to help this project support mental and physical well being within the local community.
The Men’s Shed movement aims to encourage grassroots community activity by bringing men together to work on making and mending projects and pursue practical interests. The activities can vary greatly from small-scale woodworking to majority community projects, but at the heart of the concept is providing a space to form friendships and share skills with one another. The Sanqhuar & District Men's Shed is hoping to provide a service by applying the skills of the members to repair, restore and construct items for the benefit of the wider community.
The UK Men’s Shed Association explains how ‘Sheds’ can support their members…
“They are about having fun, sharing skills and knowledge with like-minded people and gaining a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. As a by-product of all of that they reduce isolation and feelings of loneliness, they allow men to deal with mental health challenges more easily and remain independent, they rebuild communities and in many cases, they save men’s lives.”
At a community meeting in 2022 residents of Sanquhar, Kirconnel and Kellohom recognised the need for community activities that catered for men in the local area, and from this Sanquhar & District Men’s Shed was born. With strong support from the local community donating both finances and tools, plus an award of £13,909 to cover set-up and running costs for 3 years, the ‘Shed’ was launched at St Bridge Church Hall in Sanquar.
The Shed is open three times per week – two morning workshops to allow members to work on individual or group projects such as model making, clock repair and woodworking, plus a social session on Friday evenings. In just under 18 months the group has grown from a small informal collection of volunteers to a fully registered charity working in partnership with both The Men’s Shed Association and Age Concern Scotland to support older residents in the local area.
The ’Shedders’ have supported a variety of projects to benefit the wider community including restoring antique Windsor chairs for the local bowling club and repairing public benches at Queensberry Square and Nigel Henderson Court.
One such bench turned out to have been dedicated to W.B Williamson, a Japanese prisoner of war, whose wife Bessie was a resident of Nigel Henderson Court at the time. The dedication plaque includes a short poem extract that has been restored by Shed members as a poignant reminder of the sense of well-being that time outdoors can provide.
'The Kiss Of The Sun For Pardon.
The Song Of The Birds For Mirth,
One Is Nearer To God's Heart In A Garden,
Than Anywhere Else On Earth.'
In recent months volunteers created a bespoke garden shed for one of the members who requires a mobility scooter but was not able to store such a large piece of equipment inside their home. The team prefabricated the frame in the workshop and then transported it to the member’s home for on-site assembly.
Alan Condie, the group’s Vice Chair said:
“…this is one of the main aims of the Shed. It saw local men work in unison as a team to support someone in need. Within the Shed environs they were able to do this at a pace that suited them, without the stress of time constraints, and get the satisfaction of seeing a finished project that is testament to the member's with.”
Over and above these practical projects the Shed supports members by arranging game nights, away days to engineering and industrial museums and talks from visiting speakers focused on men’s physical and mental health.
Having grown to almost 50 members, the group have big ambitions for the future with plans to install secondary glazing and insulation at its premises to reduce heating costs, save energy and help keep members warm over the coming winter. With ongoing support from both local residents and the Whiteside Hill Fund, it is expected that the group will continue to reach and support more men in the area, building a positive social network and strengthening community connections.