Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Men’s Shed?

Men’s Sheds are part of an international movement which started in Australia during the 1990’s aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of men. You can now find hundreds of Sheds across the UK, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand, USA, and Ireland as well as Australia.

Men in Sheds (or Sheds) are similar to a garden shed where people spend leisure time undertaking  practical interests and enjoy making and mending. However, Men in Sheds provide a place where men and women can make social connections with others from their local community.  

The main purpose of Men’s Sheds is to help people connect with others after retirement, during periods of unemployment, after a bereavement, or during difficult times we experience in our lives. The Shed provides a place to go to have a laugh, enjoy a bit of banter, drink copious amounts of tea and eat too many biscuits and /or take part in activities such as woodworking.    

Are Men’s Sheds Just for elderly people?

Sheds are open to everyone over the age of 18.

Can women join?

Sheds are open to women as well as men, although the primary beneficiaries are men.   

Each individual Shed decides on the days and times the Sheds are open with some having dedicated sessions for mixed sessions.

Who runs Men's Sheds?

The Sheds are run and developed by those who attend, who are collectively known as ‘shedders’. The Shed has a trustee board that is usually made up of 6-12 members of the Shed who consult with members on an ongoing  basis on all aspect of the Sheds development as well as maintain the organisations records, policies and procedures.

Is there a Men's Shed near me?

To find your nearest Shed go to the find a Shed tab on the website.If there isn’t one nearby, you may want to see if there are others in your locality that may want to start up a Shed. Please contact us for further information.