Men’s Sheds: activity and camaraderie

A shed can be many things: a workshop, a refuge, the place where the things go that won’t fit in the house. Many of us would be lost without it.

But a shed can be so much more: a community space; a place of joint effort, of learning or improving skills, and vital social interaction. In the last 20 years there has been a gradual emergence of local groups organising and running regular activities in a local venue – the Men’s Sheds movement. These are not always sheds; groups may meet in a community centre, church hall, industrial unit – anywhere that is available for regular use and storage.

Men’s Sheds UK were originally founded in 2013 to fulfil the need for a central body to represent, raise awareness of, and support the small but growing number of Men’s Sheds. Back then there were just 30 of these in the UK. In 2015 they became a registered charity in order to provide more formal support to the movement. Today, there are around 1,200 Sheds, with more in the planning stages. That’s around 30,000 or more Shedders, as they’re known, participating regularly in activities they enjoy, and supporting each other more than they may realise. I visited two Sheds to find out how it works.

HORLEY MEN’S SHED

Just along the road from Horley High Street, a stone’s throw from Gatwick Airport, is the local GP surgery and health centre. Walk along the path at the side and you’ll find a garden gate with a sign pointing the way to the Horley Men’s Shed. Inside is a spacious garden area with a big table to work on, and a not so spacious shed, fitted all the way round with workbenches and shelves. 

The Shedders here get the use of the health centre café for refreshments. Martin made me welcome, while Adam went off to get me a cup of tea. Adam’s dad was also outside the Shed. “I think he’s 80-something,” Martin mused, “He doesn’t do much, just sits and drinks coffee, but he’s here among men, instead of sitting at home.” Martin pointed to a large wooden planter on the bench. “He actually started painting that last week. I don’t know if someone told him to do it or if he volunteered. When I came in, I saw he was enjoying himself.”

While we chat, other Shedders wander in and out to find tools, screws, or a bit of four-by-two. The atmosphere is busy but peaceful, with a sense of purpose. As Martin points out, “You’ve got to stay busy – because when you stop, that’s it. It’s almost the end, isn’t it?”

Martin and the Shed contact, Patrick, originally planned to start the Shed in 2020, but two weeks after they met up, the first COVID lockdown happened. Two years later, Patrick called Martin to arrange a meeting. “We came down, just him and me, sat and talked and thought about what we were going to do. We built that bench between us, and then somebody else arrived. Then Kev arrived, and within the first year, we had sort of 40 on our books.”

Numbers have fluctuated since then, but there are hopes for both a bigger venue and more facilities. The Shed is currently open for two sessions on Tuesdays, 9-12am and 4-6pm, to cater for different availabilities. It’s a space to just be among other guys, even just to sit with a book. Not Martin’s preference: “Reading doesn’t float my boat, but I’ll go down the shed and hit something with a hammer, and I’m quite happy.”

UCKFIELD MEN’S SHED

On a small industrial site outside the village of Framfield, in East Sussex, a repurposed chicken shed houses the Uckfield Men’s Shed. The door opens into a good-sized room with table and chairs and small kitchenette. Shelves on one wall hold a range of wooden goods. Leading off the kitchen and corridor are a number of rooms of different sizes, some set up with benches and industrial-quality woodworking tools; others with donated wood stacked up ready for use. 

In the main workshop, a larger number of wooden lanterns sit on the work surface, part of a commission of 80 for the local Women’s Institute. Chris Sherwood, the contact point for the shed, points out, “We’re paying a commercial rate, so we have to raise money. Things like subs and membership don’t cover it by any means. But we keep it down because you don’t want to be in a position where people don’t come along because they can’t afford to.”

Shed representatives attend local fetes, and also have some of their products on sale in a local nursery by the Ashdown Forest. Sometimes they build scenery for local theatre productions.

The Uckfield set-up is more closely controlled than some. The move to the commercial property made it advisable to set themselves up as a registered charity, with five trustees and a committee of eight to manage the day-to-day running.

Tools and machinery are everywhere, including boxes of surplus tools in the kitchenette. Chris explains, “People bring their own stuff in – but the rest of it, apart from the bigger machinery we bought, are all what’s been donated. And we’re still getting all that stuff.” The Shed gets regular visits from Tools with a Mission representatives to collect any donated tools which are surplus to requirements.

Demand for the facility has been steady. Previously open three days a week, they now operate every weekday – including one women’s day and one mixed. The flexibility provides both convenience and novelty: “Some come in one day, some come half a day, some come every day. It varies. You never know who’s going to turn up when.”

HELP FOR MEN

People can become isolated for so many reasons – retirement, bereavement, family or friends moving away, or a reluctance to join a ‘group’. Mens Sheds UK ran a survey last year of 133 Shedders, in which they were asked how their involvement in their Men’s Shed had helped them. 76% reported that their physical health had improved; 79% said that their mental health had improved.

The practical nature of the groups is a relatively easy way for men to become associated. Physical co-operation in a task can sometimes be the only way some men can open up. One story from a Shedder illustrates this:

“If you have 12 men in a room, and ask them to talk to each other about their lives, their relationships and their health, six will leave the room almost immediately, and many of the remainder will sit quietly around the walls. But if, instead, you just throw a broken lawn mower in the room, and say, ‘Hey guys – fix that’ you will find that within two hours you will have achieved your objective, plus they will all know each other’s skills and many of their hopes, and – as a plus – you may get a fixed lawn mower.”

Medical issues can sometimes be addressed too. Some Men’s Sheds run screening programmes (weight/BMI, blood pressure tests, healthy eating) or host visits from specialists in particular fields, such as prostate cancer or end of life planning. Some  Sheds are visited by NHS mobile Health Check vans, offering height, weight, and blood pressure checks, plus blood tests if requested, and advice on any health worries such as long-term coughs.

The benefits can be even more dramatic. A Shedder in Redcar reported: “There was one man who was walking down to the sea to end his life, but someone stopped him and told him about the Men’s Shed. He turned back, gave it a try, and he’s still here.”

HELP FOR THE COMMUNITY

Many Sheds are not just companionable spaces. Tools are donated – or sometimes purchased – to provide the means to produce or repair a wide range of items, from bird boxes to village benches. Sheds may be approached by local residents or associations with commissions. 

Sometimes the request comes from within. Jeff, a member of a Men’s Shed, said to his fellow Shedders, “I’ve just been doing my funeral plans. I’m not going to spend that much on the coffin, I want you guys to help me make a coffin.” Sheds try not to compete with local businesses, so they went to his undertaker and said, “Look, I hope this is okay. We’re not going to turn this into a business, but we’re making Jeff’s coffin. Is this okay with you?” The undertaker was quite amenable, and gave them drawings and specifications to help with their task.

SHEDFEST

Many Shed organisers visit other local Sheds to compare notes or get ideas. If there are a number of Sheds in an area, determined souls may be regulars, or get involved in one-off projects, at more than one. But there is also an annual opportunity to hook up with other Shedders – ShedFest.

Officially ShedFest began in 2018, but there were some gatherings before then known as Shedder Fairs. ShedFest 2024 took place at Worcester University in July, and saw the biggest turnout to date at 500 visitors. The one-day event included workshop sessions on topics such as mental health, and IT for Sheds, plus practical demonstrations and the Mens Sheds UK AGM. 

Around 30 exhibitors offered expertise in fundraising, craftwork, health and wellbeing, among other areas of concern for Shedders. The Royal British Legion were also in attendance, having formed a partnership with Men’s Sheds UK in 2024.

Visitors also received goody bags (including paint, a mug, biscuits – and a copy of Sorted) and had the chance to find out more about Shed Ale. This is a low-alcohol brew produced by Hobsons Brewery in Shropshire, which Sheds can purchase and use for fundraising purposes (or just enjoy).

THE FUTURE

Men’s Sheds UK have set an ambitious goal to establish 2,500 Sheds across the UK, with the vision that every community should have access to one.

In addition to community-based Sheds, there is growing interest in expanding the concept into new settings, such as universities and places of faith, including mosques. By introducing Sheds into universities, the association hopes to encourage intergenerational exchange and support the well-being of male students who may benefit from a creative and collaborative outlet. Similarly, integrating Sheds within places of faith could help strengthen community ties by offering a space where individuals of all ages and backgrounds can come together to work on projects, share knowledge, and support one another.

If you’d like to find your nearest shed, visit menssheds.org.uk