A potted History of Men’s sheds
The Men’s Shed concept originated in Australia in 1998.
There seemed to be a gap in supporting activity for men, in particular over the age of 60, and after some initial research it was seen that there was indeed a demand.
Men can find it difficult to build social connections and rarely discuss or share personal issues, so a friendly and welcoming environment that encourages men to feel part of a ‘shedding community’ can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation.
The UK now has 1100 (Mar-24) Men’s Sheds up and running across the country of which the Heathfield Men’s Shed is one and even more are in development linked to the UK Men’s Shed Association. These actively involved an estimated 33,000 Shedders across the country.
