First, one definition of a Men’s Shed (International Men’s Shed Organisation)
A Men’s Shed is a dedicated, friendly and welcoming meeting place where men come together and undertake a variety of mutually agreed activities.
Men’s Sheds are open to all men regardless of age, background or ability. It is a place where you can share your skills and knowledge with others, learn new skills or redevelop your old skills. New members are always welcome and can be assured that there is something of interest for everyone as the men have ownership of the projects and decide their own program of events.
Objectives of Men’s Sheds include advancing the health and well-being of the participating men and creating opportunities for the men to contribute to their local communities.
They pioneered but every Shed requires pioneers!
30 years ago the Australian Men’s Sheds Association was founded by a Yorkshireman. In formation it exclusively addressed the needs of men and those often suffering in silence from social exclusion when life took an unwelcome turn, expected or not, and former connections, usually in working life, were lost.
Women are far better at connecting socially for many reasons. Traditionally women raised the family and that was a new experience individually for them and they naturally turned to female family members and friends for the know-how that was needed for that vital family and community role.
Men went out to earn for the “bread” in whatever way they could/chose and that involved them with other men doing the same thing as they hunted in packs (well in teams!) in whatever competitive work challenges faced them in their patch in the working life jungle. Men were out there and women were in there! So much has now changed in that scene and the simple lines of demarcation have certainly now blurred.
Bang! Stop work for whatever reason and the familiar has gone. The unfamiliar may be the absence of a fixed structure to life (welcome retirement in comfort?) or the entry point into insecurity, uncertainty, financial worries, declining health and fear as to how to face the future where the old landscape of life is gone.
Many men in Australia (as in UK) worked in the building trades and in agriculture with their intermittent daytime social hubs were builders’ merchants and the livestock market. Stop work and that hub support ceased. They commonly owned the everyday item of a workshop shed where they occupied themselves and tinkered and when employed work stopped they often retreated to their shed (bigger than out 8′ x 6′ garden sheds here!). Or maybe the golf course!
Work stopped and so did much of the meaning and purpose that had been part of men’s lives. The world so easily closed in on them and the macho in men did not allow them to be honest and open with others and with themselves that deep things were happening in their “souls”. Aussie Sheds were born to provide some of the “fellowship”, banter, purpose, reuse and sharing of skills, and escape needed. Sheds became support structures for a Shed-family life.
UK was the same and a decade ago (20 years after Oz) UK Men’s Sheds Association was established.
. . . . for the same reasons as Australia – men’s mental health. Not clubs with an interest in this or that, not classes to learn something from the front, not cliques to divide but a bit of adventure to bring men together.
Graham had seen on Aussie Shed in Sale, Victoria in 2014. In Sleights near Whitby in 2016 life took a lurch into a black hole due to circumstance and “damn it, I’m going to try to start a Men’s Shed in Sleights” was the response. Graham had met several men like him for whom life lacked purpose. From different backgrounds with different causes but the result was the same.
The first North Yorkshire Shed started in January 2016 in Littlebeck, next 2017 in Whitby, 2018 in Staithes and 2019 in Robin Hood’s Bay. Sleights Area Men’s Shed opened when there were 250 UK Sheds, and now there are nearly 1100 (2023).
This backside is the more important side of the Shed postcard.
Norton Men’s Shed was inevitable maybe when Graham moved to there in 2021. Formation was “demanded” by a social prescribing link worker because there was a lack of activity choice in the area for men. That demand led approach (done in a very friendly female way!) was what was needed and a trust-partnership was planted in fertile ground fertilised by others too! Collaboration makes things possible that competition and control prevent.
At the heart of Men’s Sheds is the fact that they are run by the men (and indeed by some women) who attend themselves. The Shedders are the engine of the Shed. There are some Trustees from the Shedders who oversee the its operation and perform some administration, but day to day it is the people involved who make the Shed happen.
By now, you should understand the basis on which Sheds (and Norton Shed in particular) operate, but what is seen behind the door?
The premises are a workshop with tools and equipment of all sorts mainly (not exclusively) focused on woodworking. Then there are opportunities and places to rest awhile and somewhere to make a cuppa. Interaction between people can be seen. There is a busyness, conversation, banter and relationships in evidence. It is a place of variety. No two days are the same.
Want to sit and talk? That’s OK. Want to try something new and unfamiliar, then ask. The two riles are to respect others (even in the banter) and to remember that health & safety is everybody’s responsibility. If you don’t know how to use something properly, ask others. With no more than 10 present at any one time, people are noticed and never far from advice and help.
Here are a couple of walk through videos of Norton Shed taken on two successive days. You will get some idea from these of the atmosphere of “our place”..
However, Shed outcomes are not measured by piles of shavings from a lathe or the wooden bowls that may be turned.
The outcomes that are most valued are those that help restore people’s feelings about life and themselves. The testimonies of Shedders (and professionals like the social prescribers) are the stories that make the heart of the Shed. That result in people feeling better as they go out than they did coming in. The FUN if you like.
Here are a few statements and shortly there will be some recorded interviews added to listen to. Some podcasts too are being worked on in Whitby.
“As soon as I walked into the Shed I realised it was a welcoming place.”
“I looked for something like this for some years searching for some renewed purpose. Wish I’d known about it earlier”
“I needed my confidence rebuilt after I became isolated. The Shed allowed that.”
“The Shed has done so much good for my relative”
[adapted for anonymity]
Some recognition
In Spring 2023, a year after starting, Norton Men’s Shed were shortlisted (1 of 4) for the Partnership of the Year Award by UK Men’s Shed Association. To Westminster where the winner had precisely the same partnership model as Norton. With NHS social prescribing link workers (or similar teams).
Partnerships take time to establish and prove themselves and when we met with prescribers originally we and they had no idea what working together might bring of value to both camps and particularly people who we both wanted to help. It was introductions, not referrals because the wellbeing interests of current Shedders always have to be weighed up.
About 1100 Sheds now in UK. New Stockton Men’s Shed in our area too.
Sheds provide creative distraction.
Shifting mindsets in a more positive direction. That can prevent suicides which are very much higher in men than in women because men bottle feelings up. Sheds are not attractive to all who might benefit from distraction and in Norton we are looking at other ways to provide the diversion that can help.
If you are a prospective Shedder looking just to be entertained, the Shed is probably not for you.
If you need to build up confidence and to recover from isolation it is the place.
If you have no care in the world but want to help others, the Shed is a welcomes you too.
Shedders are both givers and takers in the work. Volunteers and beneficiaries at the same time.
Sheds at The Festival of Thrift 2023 in Billingham. A reminder of the many organisations that help establish a Shed.
How is Norton Men’s Shed funded?
The Shed started (as all the Sheds in Whitby) district) with a grant of around £5000 for ser up (rent, utilities, insurance, equipment, biscuits etc.). In Normens case it was the Big Lottery and Awards for All). The Mayor chipped in and also Magic Little Grants (recommended by the Sports Charity). In the longer biscuit term.the Shedders support the Shed with attendance subscriptions (“subs”) of £2.50 per session. We have had gifts from Shedders too who appreciate what the Shed does for them and for others around them.
As we expand the envelope of the Shed to a wider range of distractive activities as currently planned then we seek new start up funding for those.
Want to enquire and know more?
Just email nortonmensshed@gmail.com and provide your contact details.
If you want to see what we get up to look at our many blogs. More than 200 already!
First go to the Home page using this link www.normans.org.uk and our advice is to stay on that page initially.
Scroll down the Home page (leaving the banner at its top behind) and there the Blogs begin. There is at present a “sticky” blog that is permanent and always at the top of the stack of new ones following.
We have sister projects in Whitby district (Whitby itself, Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay (BayThorpe Shed). See their exploits at www.whitbysheds.co.uk
Thanks for reading to the bitter end!