UK Men’s Shed Association (UKMSA) has announced three one-day events to take place in February and March of 2025. The events, scheduled for Tuesday 25th February at Newark Rugby Club, Thursday 6th March at Deafway Centre in Preston, and Wednesday 12th March at The Old Firestation in Middlesbrough Town Hall, are open to all new, existing, and yet-to-be established community sheds.
Men’s Sheds are community spaces for men to come together to create, converse, and connect. These spaces typically offer activities such as woodwork, metalwork, arts, crafts, and upcycling. However, many Sheds also branch out into other activities such as cookery, electronics, and creative writing. Research has shown that Men’s Sheds help reduce loneliness and isolation, build communities, and have a positive impact on both physical and mental health and wellbeing. They have also been credited with encouraging men to discuss and address health-related issues, and have even been involved in suicide prevention efforts.
“Men’s Sheds have a tremendously positive impact on their participants, and the work they do often benefits the wider community as well,” said Rachel Meadows, head of development at UKMSA. “There is a wealth of knowledge within the Sheds, and we are eager for Shedders to come together with other Sheds in their region to form new connections and share their expertise. These informal meetings will feature panel discussions, roundtable debates, and the opportunity for Shedders to exchange experiences and learn from one another.”
The regional events are free to attend and are open to all Sheds looking to make local connections and discover new and improved ways to run and manage their Shed. The events will also include a Tool Exchange, allowing Sheds to better utilize resources.
Those interested in attending can register for free tickets on Eventbrite at https://menssheds.org.uk/shedconnect/. UKMSA works closely with local partners and individual members of the community. Anyone looking to support a local Shed or a Shed in development in their area can offer venue space, tools, training, or other resources by contacting their local Shed development officer. For those in the North of England, please contact Anne Whelan at Anne.whelan@ukmsa.org.uk. For those in the East Midlands region, please contact Ruth Gibbsmith at Ruth.Gibbsmith@ukmsa.org.uk.
For more information, please visit https://menssheds.org.uk/shedconnect/. This event is distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/.
