Meeting of the Parliament (Virtual) 18 February 2021
As members who took part in the debate did, I thank Maurice Corry for bringing the Scottish men’s sheds movement and the work of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association to the attention of the Parliament once more. It is right that we continue to support that important initiative—one that challenges social isolation and loneliness, contributes to positive health and wellbeing and provides many wider societal benefits to the communities that Scotland’s 189 men’s sheds serve.
As Christine Grahame pointed out, she lodged a motion in March 2019 to recognise the Scottish men’s sheds movement and the positive effects that it had on the shedders’ health and their communities. I remember from that debate—just as with this one—the positivity and good feeling across the chamber that members had for the sheds. Everyone had a story to tell about a visit to a men’s shed and what an uplifting and inspirational experience it was. Today’s debate has been no different.
I put on record my appreciation of the men’s sheds in my constituency of Clydesdale, including the one that I opened in Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill, not by cutting a ribbon but by sawing through a chunk of wood—it is typical of the men’s sheds movement to be so innovative and imaginative.
In 2019, there were less than 170 men’s sheds in Scotland with 1,600 members.
Today, there are almost 190 sheds with 2,449 members. Despite the challenges that the Covid pandemic has placed on us all, numbers are continuing to grow. That is due in no small part to the efforts of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association and the tireless work of its chief executive, Jason Schroeder. Backed by sustained funding from the Scottish Government, the SMSA has been instrumental in embedding the men’s sheds concept in Scotland and enabling it to grow. Through Age Scotland’s shed development officer, we also provide funding of £50,000 per annum, which further demonstrates our commitment to supporting this incredibly important movement.
The men’s sheds in Scotland include older and younger men—unemployed and employed, skilled and unskilled. According to the SMSA, its value system is
“we value you for who you are, not what you do or have done”.
We know that men’s sheds have proven positive effects on physical and mental health. We also know that they contribute to tackling social isolation and loneliness by providing a space to meet, look out for one another and enjoy vital social camaraderie. That physical space is important. During the Covid pandemic, shedders have admirably risen to the challenge and have quickly organised Zoom meetings with one another, provided Facebook updates and digital support and given helpful advice on social distancing measures.
Elaine Smith spoke about the issue of people who are not digitally connected, which has become so apparent during the pandemic. I point to the significant investment that we have made in the connecting Scotland programme. As that project continues to develop throughout the year, I hope that Elaine Smith can look for opportunities for her constituents to make use of it. The SMSA has also been instrumental in that work by providing vital funding and support to sheds to enable them to communicate digitally. We have made additional funding available to the SMSA—in December last year, we provided it with an extra £100,000 as part of the direct response to supporting sheds during Covid. The package includes a £30,000 emergency fund, which the SMSA is managing and individual sheds can tap into for help while they remain closed.
We know that the physical space of the shed is what makes it so special, and we are aware of the need to get shedders back into their sheds as soon as possible, but that must be done carefully when it is safe to do so. Currently, the SMSA is finalising its own updated advice in the run-up to the reopening of the sheds. Through extra Scottish Government funds, it is also arranging the delivery of pathfinder lanyards to individual sheds, which, as Christine Grahame mentioned in her speech, will help shedders to maintain safe social distance from one another once back in the shed.
Most members will be aware of the range of activities that happen in many sheds, such as building buddy benches for schools, making planters or providing educational classes for the benefit of their wider communities. They also adapt well to the populations that they serve. Men’s sheds are providing a safe space for groups such as veterans, which I know is of particular interest to Maurice Corry.
During recent times, men’s sheds have shown a great sense of adaptability. An initial template that was devised by the Carse of Gowrie men’s shed for a protective face mask has been shared via the SMSA through its entire shed network, enabling that vital protective equipment to be shared with people across the country. During lockdown, many such projects have been completed by shedders from their own homes.
Of course, lockdown has closed sheds, and closed sheds mean that shedders have to stay at home. What was a source of companionship, activity and fun to men across Scotland has suddenly stopped in its tracks. We know that a key aim of the men’s sheds movement is to tackle social isolation and loneliness, which men can suddenly face during key life transitions such as retirement or the loss of a partner. Many members made that point in their contributions.
I am delighted that my colleague Christina McKelvie, the Minister for Older People and Equalities, has portfolio responsibility for leading the Government’s work in that space. Throughout the pandemic, she has engaged regularly with stakeholders in our national implementation group and heard at first hand how the pandemic has worsened some people’s existing experience, but also brought in new people who had not felt isolated or lonely before. Christina McKelvie is taking forward work to respond to that key issue and support the many people who are affected by it.
Our national strategy for tackling social isolation and building stronger social connections recognises the important role of men’s sheds and other community-based infrastructure where people meet regularly for company and camaraderie. They will be important as we seek to rebuild and reignite our communities in recovery. We will continue to work with our partners to develop that important intervention nationally, including by providing support to the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association.
Our evidence base continues to grow rapidly, and it corroborates that of the established international evidence on men’s sheds. As Maurice Corry, Rona Mackay and others noted, men’s sheds provide positive views of aging and later life. That was referenced in “The Shed Effect” study that was carried out by Age Scotland, which was funded by the Scottish Government. That report highlighted that 76 per cent of those who were surveyed agreed that their physical health had improved as a result of being involved in the shed, and 79 per cent of those surveyed felt that their mental health had improved as a result of shed involvement. That aligns perfectly with what Kenneth Gibson said about one woman’s description of the impact that a shed had had on her father: she said that it gave her back her dad. Those immensely powerful words show just how important the sheds are.
It is clear. We all agree that men’s sheds are brilliant things and that they transcend the sum of their parts. They give back so much more than any of us could ever have foreseen. They are places of joy and happiness for the shedders; they impact so positively on mental and physical health; they ensure that their members get a warm cuppa and a meal; they closely look after their people; and they ensure that no one is left alone.
However, they do more than that. They impact positively on their wider communities. They help to support the wellbeing of us all, society wide. Everyone can benefit from a men’s shed in their community. That is why they are so important and still need our strategic support, and why it is important that everyone, including our local partners—local authorities and the third sector—and, more generally, the national health service and community workers, continues to back the men’s sheds movement in Scotland and the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association.
In response to Brian Whittle’s points about the third sector more generally, I point him to the social renewal advisory board’s funding. We are continuing to work with our third sector partners on how we continue to support the third sector more generally. Third sector organisations, including men’s sheds, have been immensely important in ensuring the resilience of the country in response to the pandemic. They have rolled up their sleeves, have got on with things and have met the challenges that the pandemic has posed in our communities. They have done that with nimble agility and have made sure that they provide support on the important issues that need to be tackled across our communities.
We will continue to work with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and others on how we support, recognise and respect the third sector as we go forward, because it has done so much. As the SCVO campaign points out, in light of the pandemic, third sector organisations
“have never been more needed”.
The men’s shed movement is phenomenal, and members have spoken vividly about how much it contributes. Recognising its achievements and its continued work is worthy of time in our Parliament. Again, I thank Maurice Corry.