Men’s Shed is a registered charity and provides a workshop, fully equipped with tools, for use by older men in the local community. Members share tools and resources to work on projects of their own choosing at their own pace. Men’s Shed workshops give members the opportunity to contribute towards wood work projects and encourages people of all abilities to get involved in a safe and structured environment. The charity operates across the UK, with 352 ‘sheds’ currently open and growing at a rate of seven new sheds every month, with over 7,000 members.
Organisations and charities like Men’s Shed are hugely important in bringing people together across Fareham. I met with members and volunteers and learnt of how the group works to provide a meeting place for members to contribute towards practical hands-on projects and local community schemes whilst making new friends at the same time.
It’s not just the workshops, which gives people the opportunity to learn new skills in wood work and make friends – it’s the range of other functions, such as giving mainly older men a place to talk about their health and wellbeing, and stopping people from becoming isolated in older age by providing a support network.
It’s great to see Men’s Shed working to connect people in Fareham, the South and across the country – I would urge people in the local area to get involved with the group.