Hörður Sturluson Project Manager [1]Icelandic Red Cross
The Icelandic Red Cross started Men Sheds in Iceland in 2018, the first Shed was open in the spring that year. Now there are total of four Shed open and two more are ready and waiting to open but because of Covid they have not been able to…
There is a new chapter in the Icelandic Men´s Sheds book starting in 2021. The Red Cross is leaving the project on 31st of December 2020 and the Sheds are getting their independence. Also, I am founding an umbrella organization to support the Sheds and help new Sheds to start. We are very much looking abroad to Ireland and Australia and see how they have done it in the past.
Since Covid hit Iceland in February the Sheds have been not fully functional. They have mostly been open but in March/April and October/November when Covid has been at it worst here in Iceland they have stayed closed or open to a very limited degree. The Shed movement here in Iceland had very positive media coverage in the month before the pandemic and we could feel increased interested from around the country but the pandemic but a stop to that as for so many other things in our society. But we are hoping after all this is over we can get that positive media coverage back and we are sure that then the Sheds will be even more imported after Covid to help our community to get better and for men´s health in Iceland.
Three facts about Icelandic Men Sheds:
- The Icelandic Men´s Sheds is called in Icelandic Karlar í skúrum which is direct translation.
- In a normal week there are around 70-80 men attending a Shed in Iceland every week.
- The number one activity in an Icelandic Shed is Woodturning.
[1] Email: hordur@redcross.is
S: 694-1281