Men’s Sheds have always been about more than making things. Every day in workshops across the UK, friendships form shoulder to shoulder at the workbench — through shared purpose, quiet chats, and plenty of laughter.
Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder builds on that Shed-grown idea, expanded with the kind support of Diageo’s responsible drinking platform, DrinkIQ, to help place more buddy benches in communities across the country — creating welcoming spaces for people to sit, pause, and connect.
Why benches?
Because sitting side by side makes it easier to start a conversation. A simple public bench can:
- Spark 5.5 conversations a day — over 2,000 a year
- Offer a gentle invitation to talk, listen, or simply not feel alone
- Mirror what Sheds already do so well inside their workshops
If 100 Shed-built benches are placed nationally, they could help spark over 200,000 conversations every year.
Scroll through the images above, to see some of the wonderful benches already created.
Timmy Mallett joins the mission
TV icon Timmy Mallett brought his famous mallet — and plenty of enthusiasm — to Black Park Shed in Buckinghamshire to help build their buddy bench. Whether he was more help or hindrance is still up for debate… but the result is a brilliant example of how Shed projects bring people together.
Already built a bench? Let us know
Some Sheds were building benches long before this mission had a name — and we’d love to celebrate those too.
If your Shed has built or restored a bench (as part of Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder or inspired by it), send us a photo and a few lines about where it lives. It helps inspire other Sheds and shows just how powerful these simple projects can be. Contact: kelly.birch@ukmsa.org.uk
Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder is delivered with the support of Diageo’s alcohol education platform DRINKiQ. Learn more about DRINKiQ.