With Awards Night just around the corner, here’s your chance to get to know the brilliant UK Men’s Sheds Awards 2025 finalists a little better. From inspiring projects to standout Shedders, these stories show exactly why they made the shortlist — and why we can’t wait to celebrate them on the big day!
Community Project Award
Letchworth Men In Sheds, Hertfordshire
Since January 2025, Letchworth Men’s Shed has been at the heart of a remarkable community transformation, dedicating more than 280 volunteer hours to rejuvenate the much-loved Wynd Community Gardens. Working through the winter months in partnership with the gardens’ long-standing volunteer team, Shedders repaired and repainted planters, dismantled an unsafe pergola, and designed and built a brand-new structure to welcome visitors. The project not only restored a cherished green space used daily by families, shoppers and local workers, but also forged strong bonds between younger and older volunteers who now share a renewed pride in the gardens’ future.
For the Shedders, the project became a powerful journey of teamwork, learning and personal growth. Members developed leadership, project planning and horticultural skills, while supporting one another through life’s challenges — including helping a recently bereaved member regain confidence and purpose. Their highly visible presence on a busy pedestrian route also sparked countless conversations, creating a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds, share their partnership with the Letchworth Heritage Foundation and even support the development of a brand-new Shed elsewhere in Hertfordshire.
By restoring an accessible, wildlife-friendly, fully inclusive garden that inspires people of all ages to connect with nature, Letchworth Men’s Shed has shown how caring for a community space can strengthen wellbeing, revive local pride and bring people together in meaningful and lasting ways.
Reddish Men In Sheds, Stockport, Greater Manchester
For more than a decade, Reddish Men in Sheds has quietly transformed lives by giving old bicycles — and the people who restore them — a new lease of life. Meeting three afternoons a week, Shedders refurbish unwanted bikes and, through their hugely successful Bike Giveaway scheme, donate them to people facing financial and social disadvantage. What began as a six-month pilot aiming to donate 21 bikes rapidly grew into an extraordinary community effort — with over 90 bikes gifted within months to families, schoolchildren, refugees, foodbank users and people needing a reliable way to get to work, training or education.
The project has had a profound impact across Reddish and beyond: helping families cycle together for the first time, enabling young people to reach school regularly, and offering affordable, sustainable transport to those otherwise excluded. Shedders tailor bikes to individual needs — even adapting children’s bikes for a specialist school so every pupil can ride. Heartfelt feedback from recipients reflects the project’s power: bikes becoming symbols of freedom, wellbeing, connection and opportunity.
The initiative has been just as life-changing for Shed members. Many describe the Shed as a lifeline — a place of purpose, camaraderie and recovery. One member, referred by mental health services after severe depression and suicide attempts, credits RMIS with helping restore focus, confidence and joy to his everyday life. “This band of merry men is a godsend,” he says. The group’s motto, “The kettle is always on,” represents the warmth and welcome at its core.
Rooted in engineering heritage and driven by a passion for cycling, the Shed brings older men together to share skills, stay active and tackle loneliness — all while preventing bikes from ending up in landfill and promoting healthier, greener travel. Their community impact has already been recognised, including the Stockport Homes ‘Community Group of the Year’ Award, and praise from their local MP.
Reddish Men in Sheds shows how practical skills, shared purpose and a simple idea can create enormous social, environmental and personal benefit — proving that a Shed can change far more than just bikes.
Western Wolds Men In Sheds, Yorkshire
In a rural area where many villages have no library, no public transport and limited shared spaces, Western Wolds Men in Sheds has stepped in to bring community connection right to people’s doorsteps. Using recycled materials wherever possible, members have designed, built and installed a network of outdoor mini book-exchange libraries across the region — giving residents of all ages free access to books and a reason to connect. Their craftsmanship has attracted wider attention too: a major house builder commissioned a library for a new development (with plans to involve other Sheds), and most recently the team created a bespoke Rowntree’s-themed mini library to mark the company’s 100th anniversary, now proudly installed on the bank of the River Ouse in central York.
The Shed embraces a wide range of meaningful community projects. Members built a large weatherproof donation station for a local volunteer who provides Christmas dinners for homeless people — support that helped feed 300 people last year. They’re currently restoring a seven-foot Rudolph reindeer on a sleigh trailer that brings Christmas cheer to surrounding villages. Every project boosts the Shed’s visibility, raises the profile of Men’s Sheds, and shows what can be achieved when skills, creativity and kindness come together.
What truly sets Western Wolds apart is its ability to build community in a place where geography and isolation can make that difficult. Despite being based on a quiet farm with little passing traffic, they’ve grown from 6 to over 50 members through active outreach, social gatherings, and continued support for members who can no longer attend due to illness. Veterans are part of the Shed family, and local charities, NHS teams and social prescribers now refer people to the Shed, recognising it as a place where men can find purpose, fellowship and belonging.
From creating mini libraries to strengthening village life, Western Wolds Men in Sheds shows how even the most rural Shed can spark connection, creativity and community spirit — making a lasting difference to the people around them.
Shedder of the Year
Darren Paul – Burnham on Sea & Highbridge Men’s Shed, Somerset
Every Shed has someone who quietly holds the place together — the person who shows up, steps in, supports others and makes sure everyone feels part of the team. For his Shed, that person is Darren.
Darren attends almost every session, not because he has to, but because he genuinely cares. Whether he’s supervising or working on his own projects, he always stops what he’s doing to help someone else — offering guidance, encouragement or simply a steady pair of hands. Over the past two years, he and fellow Shedder Mick Atkins have transformed the workshop itself, installing new power tools, safety equipment and extraction systems that have significantly improved how the whole Shed operates.
His contribution goes far beyond the workshop. Darren is a natural fundraiser, using his skills to make items for sale and running the Shed stall at craft fairs. He’s been a constant presence on community projects too — from creating planters for the local primary school to building hedgehog shelters for wildlife charities such as Secret World and Prickles Hedgehog Rescue.
One of Darren’s greatest gifts is how he works with young people. In recent collaborations with a local home education group, he not only designed engaging “make and take” projects but also helped run the sessions — demonstrating remarkable patience, clarity and warmth. The children took to him instantly.
Although he often says that committees aren’t his natural environment, Darren still serves as an active and committed committee member. He brings thoughtful insight, steady reliability and a willingness to do the unglamorous tasks that make a Shed function smoothly.
Darren does all of this while navigating his own challenges – yet he approaches life in the Shed with resilience, generosity and kindness. His presence lifts others. His consistency reassures. His support matters.
It’s no surprise that when the Shed held its own internal Shedder of the Year Award, decided by secret ballot, the members unanimously chose Darren. It reflects not only what he does, but who he is:
a valued member, a role model, and the kind of person who makes a Shed truly feel like a community.
The Shed is immensely proud of him — and grateful every day that Darren is part of their story.
Frank Heinrich-Tiller – Long Sutton Men’s Shed, Lincolnshire
Frank’s story is one of courage, generosity, and unwavering commitment — not only to his own wellbeing, but to the lives of countless others in Long Sutton and beyond. After losing his wife Joan following her long and difficult battle with lymphoma, Frank faced a life that had changed completely. No longer a husband or carer, far from family and old friends, he found himself lonely, grieving and in need of a new purpose.
Joining Long Sutton Men’s Shed became the turning point. Though he initially had no woodworking experience, Frank brought 45 years of international business expertise — and the Shed had the vision to put those skills to use. What followed has been nothing short of transformational.
Over the past six years, Frank has single-handedly secured almost £200,000 in grant funding for both the Long Sutton Men’s Shed and their Youth Shed. These funds have enabled expansions, new equipment, improved facilities, an automotive unit, IT services, metalworking and woodturning areas, model railway development, and more. His tireless work — often late into the night at home — has helped shape the Shed into one of the most active and well-resourced in the country.
But Frank’s impact goes far beyond financial success. He has rebuilt his own life by lifting others up. As a Trustee, Funding Officer, Marketing and Press Officer, and now a UKMSA Ambassador for Lincolnshire, Frank empowers Shedders across the region. He visits other Sheds, always taking a fellow member with him so they can learn and grow too. He welcomes new members, supports those going through illness or hardship, and even gives lifts to Shedders who can no longer drive — picking them up so they never feel left out or isolated. He also helps one older member by regularly walking his dogs.
Frank’s kindness is matched by his leadership. He gives confidence to others, encourages participation, and strengthens the culture of camaraderie and care that defines the Shed. His influence has helped Long Sutton grow from twelve members to nearly one hundred, expanding into a multi-activity, community-centred organisation known for its excellent wellbeing support, first-aid provision, community projects and wide range of technical and social activities.
Frank embodies everything the Shed movement stands for: connection, compassion, community service and a willingness to go the extra mile. He has rebuilt his own life while transforming his Shed — and many others — through dedication, hard work, and genuine heart.
To his fellow Shedders, Frank isn’t just a member; he is one of the main reasons their Shed is what it is today. His contribution has been extraordinary, and his impact will last for many years to come.
Robert Taylor – Medway Men In Sheds, Kent
Not every Shedder works with power tools, timber or machinery — some hold a Shed together in other ways. Rob is one of those rare individuals whose contribution isn’t measured in wood shavings, but in wisdom, support, leadership and constant care. He is the intellectual engine of Medway Men in Sheds, offering a depth of knowledge, commitment and compassion that has transformed the group and the lives of its members.
Rob joined the Shed ten years ago, at a time when he was navigating profound personal challenges. He had lost his wife to cancer after supporting her through a long and exhausting illness, and his own health was deteriorating. Once able to walk without aid, he now uses a walker and lives with tissue damage affecting balance and sensation. The Shed became a lifeline — but over time, Rob became thelifeline for others.
Despite being registered blind, Rob has an extraordinary photographic memory for words, numbers, sound and detail. Coupled with his professional background in industry and government, he brings an encyclopaedic knowledge of culture, law, policy, governance, technology, safety, finance and history. He uses these skills not for himself, but for the benefit of everyone around him.
He is also the first to notice when someone — staff or member — is struggling. He reaches out, checks in, and offers both practical help and emotional support. During Covid, when isolation threatened the wellbeing of many, Rob helped maintain 24/7 communication, coordinated home visits and ensured no one slipped through the cracks.
Though he often says the Shed is a lifeline for its members, he has become a lifeline for the Shed. His presence brings stability. His leadership brings reassurance. His voice brings knowledge, humour and perspective. His character — rooted in fairness, compassion, tolerance and integrity — strengthens the backbone of the entire organisation.
Rob may not pick up a chisel or build a bench, but he builds something far more important: connection, confidence, and a community that feels supported, informed and safe.
To Medway Men in Sheds, Rob is not just a member — he is the quiet constant, the guide, the protector, the thinker and the friend they don’t know how they’d ever replace.
Health and Wellbeing Award
Broadstairs Town Shed, Broadstairs, Kent
For over a decade, Broadstairs Town Shed has championed the health and wellbeing of its members, offering a place where hands-on making, creativity and connection come together to change lives. What began as a busy woodworking space has grown into a fully holistic, person-centred programme — developed in response to rising professional referrals, increased need for support, and a desire to make “Shed life” accessible to more people than ever before.
Over the past 18 months, the Shed has transformed its building and its offer. Funding from the Community Ownership Fund enabled essential upgrades — including a new roof and energy-efficient heating — allowing the Shed to expand from three to five days a week. A dedicated Health & Wellbeing Community Connector now leads a structured support framework in partnership with the NHS and local organisations, making the Shed a first stop for advice, signposting and connection.
Shaped by extensive member and community feedback, the Shed now runs Wellbeing Mondays and Creative Fridays — quieter, welcoming sessions that complement its core workshop days. These include everything from healthy-eating workshops, scam-prevention talks and cost-of-living support to mindfulness crafts, tai chi, creative writing, photography, music jams and Random Acts of Kindness projects. The Shed also hosts health pop-ups with Prostate Cancer UK and diabetes support teams, and drop-in help from utility providers, council services, Citizens Advice and more.
Staying true to its volunteer-led model, Broadstairs Town Shed invests heavily in volunteer training and support, drawing on the deep skills and lived experience within its community. Their refreshed space now welcomes additional groups too, including younger men at The Pony Art Club and young adults developing woodworking and employment skills through a City & Guilds course with the Sammy Foundation.
In a time of shrinking public services, Broadstairs Town Shed has stepped up — becoming a vital wellbeing anchor for its community. With over 250 members and a reach of more than 6,000 followers, the Shed supports people facing bereavement, retirement, mental health challenges, isolation and financial strain. Members describe it as a lifeline, a safe place, and even a space that “gave me my life back.”
By blending creativity, compassion and community expertise, Broadstairs Town Shed has built a place where people can reconnect, rebuild confidence and rediscover joy — proving just how powerful a Shed can be when it listens to its community and grows with it.
Medway Men In Sheds, Medway, Kent
At Medway Men in Sheds, wellbeing isn’t just an idea — it’s the foundation of everything they do. Guided by the five recognised steps to wellbeing (Connect, Learn, Get Active, Take Notice and Give), the Shed has added a powerful sixth guiding principle of its own: Protect the Environment. This blend of personal wellbeing and environmental stewardship shapes every project they take on, making Medway a truly distinctive and forward-thinking Shed.
Over the past year, members have repaired, refurbished and upcycled countless items — from electricals and community equipment to donated materials from docks, timber yards and local businesses. Their commitment to sustainability runs deep: they build habitat boxes for insects, bats, birds and hedgehogs, run composting programmes, support nursery and school gardens, and create their own merch to avoid waste. Their reclaimed-material projects stretch across Medway, from the two community gardens they tend, to little libraries in Rainham and Twydal, to a bespoke tortoise habitat at a local school where a 17-year-old gained valuable fabrication skills.
Creativity is everywhere — in giant toothbrush-and-pencil props for oral health education, in mud kitchens and planters for nurseries, and in their involvement in a community LEGO model of Chatham Dockyard. They even built a “Hope Bench” for the Samaritans’ Walk of Hope, and repaired sound equipment used in local performances including Medway Adult Education’s summer open day. Music, podcasting, engineering and craft sessions provide learning, expression and community storytelling, including recording projects that support members with disabilities.
What makes Medway stand out is the extraordinary breadth of what they offer. Based in a vibrant but deeply deprived area, the Shed is part of a larger community ecosystem that includes a kitchen, café, rehearsal spaces, workshops, gardens, woodland space, a GP surgery and a pharmacy. For 11 years they’ve built strong partnerships with local charities, service providers and businesses, creating a place where anyone — regardless of background or health — can find community, purpose and a chance to grow.
By combining wellbeing, creativity, environmental action and human connection, Medway Men in Sheds is changing lives and strengthening their community — one repaired item, one shared skill, one act of kindness and one greener idea at a time.
Norton Men’s Shed, Norton, County Durham
Norton Men’s Shed (aka Normens) began in 2022 with a simple need: one man, newly relocated to Norton-on-Tees, knew he needed a Shed and the company of others. What followed is an extraordinary story of collaboration, compassion and community impact. The turning point came when a local Social Prescribing Link Worker reached out, looking for somewhere supportive to refer men struggling with isolation — and Normens became the answer. From decorating a borrowed cricket club changing room to transforming a dilapidated cabin into a welcoming space, the Shed grew step by step, built by Shedders’ hands, humour and heart.
Three years on, Norton Men’s Shed has blossomed into a vibrant wellbeing community with workspace for up to 20 Shedders every weekday. Alongside woodworking, members explore 3D design and printing, electronics, digital learning for the housebound, fabricating large-scale Remembrance displays, and maintaining a lively model railway. Every activity is rooted in connection, purpose and shared pride.
A major achievement this year has been the development of tailored entry pathways for men recovering from long-term anxiety, isolation or cancer diagnoses. In partnership with the NHS, Macmillan Cancer Support and local groups, the Shed now offers a gentle, supportive way back into community life. Regardless of someone’s circumstances — whether blind, wheelchair users, or living with hidden challenges — Norton welcomes everyone as they are, helping them rediscover confidence and a sense of future. As Macmillan’s Andrea Love puts it, “Norton Shed shows a way for men, with or without cancer, towards help and hope.”
What makes Norton special isn’t equipment or premises — it’s people. The Shed has created a culture where members feel safe, valued and able to remake themselves alongside others who understand. Their ethos, “look after the Shedders and the Shed will look after itself,” shines through in every conversation, every shared project and every moment of laughter. A visiting Australian Shedder summed it up simply: “If only my Shed back home had this atmosphere, I would never have left.”
Norton Men’s Shed is living proof that when men come together with care, acceptance and purpose, they don’t just make things — they make each other stronger.
Partnership Award
Marchwood Men’s Shed, Southampton, Hampshire
Marchwood Men’s Shed is at the heart of its community, working hand in hand with Marchwood Parish Council and a wide range of local groups to make a real, visible difference across the village. From creating accessible picnic benches and a composting area for council-owned recreation spaces to building fencing for the community Christmas tree, Shedders take on practical projects that enhance shared spaces and bring people together.
Their partnership with the local hedgehog rescue has become one of their standout initiatives. Together, they’ve designed and built hedgehog houses to raise funds for both organisations, and created an engaging awareness area that helps residents understand how to protect hedgehogs in their own gardens. This passion for wildlife extends further, with Shedders donating bat and bird boxes to the Marchwood Conservation Volunteers to support biodiversity across the parish.
Marchwood Men’s Shed also plays a huge role in supporting local schools and pre-schools, building everything from outdoor libraries and food pantries to reading benches, boot scrapers, games, planters, mud kitchens and bird boxes. These projects enrich children’s learning and help them enjoy nature — and in return, young learners often show their appreciation, like the pre-school children who brought homegrown strawberries to say thank you.
Alongside community work, the Shed embraces one-off projects for charities and good causes — creating a tombola spinner for a neonatal charity, a “human fruit machine” for a foodbank, signs for village events, and a memorial bench for a hospital. They fund much of their work through their own fundraising efforts and sales of their handmade items.
What makes Marchwood Men’s Shed particularly special is its warm, inclusive culture. Their members include men and women, veterans, and people with disabilities. Shedders come together not just to build things, but to share coffee, cake and conversation — supporting one another through bereavement, isolation and life challenges. Working side by side on meaningful projects gives members purpose, pride and a sense of belonging deeply rooted in the community many have lived in for years.
By improving public spaces, enriching school life, protecting local wildlife and supporting one another, Marchwood Men’s Shed shows what a community-focused Shed can achieve when people come together with generosity, creativity and heart.
Shrewsbury Men’s Shed, Shropshire
Shrewsbury Men’s Shed has built one of the most powerful and productive partnerships in the UK Shed movement, working closely with the Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust to support men living with a wide range of health challenges. As the most frequently referred social prescribing organisation in Shropshire, the Shed has become a trusted, stigma-free space where men affected by stroke, mental ill health, addiction and especially cancer can find friendship, purpose and a route back into community life.
Their collaboration with Cancer Services and the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund has become a standout example of how Sheds can transform wellbeing. After seeing how many male cancer patients were reluctant to engage with traditional support, the NHS approached the Shed to explore working together. What followed was the creation of “Men Like Us”, a men-only cancer support group hosted in the Shed’s warm and welcoming social area — a space designed by men, for men, and purpose-built for conversation, trust and mutual understanding. With its comfortable seating, quiet atmosphere, views to the Welsh hills, and a kettle that’s always warm, the Shed feels less like a service and more like a place where men can finally exhale.
The partnership blends the Shed’s hands-on activities, friendship and peer support with the clinical knowledge and emotional guidance of cancer specialists. Many men who would never normally seek help now cross the Shed’s threshold, often for the first time, discovering a whole community ready to stand alongside them. Existing Shedders affected by cancer have also joined the group, creating a circle of shared experience that helps men feel seen, understood and supported.
Shrewsbury Men’s Shed shows what is possible when a Shed becomes more than a workshop — when it becomes a partner in health, a sanctuary in crisis, and a community where every man, no matter what he’s facing, finds a place to belong.
Upminster Baptist Church Men’s Shed, London
Upminster Men’s Shed is a shining example of what can happen when a Shed and a community organisation work hand in hand over the long term. Housed within Upminster Baptist Church — and supported by them for nearly a decade — the Shed has become a thriving hub of activity, wellbeing and connection for more than 40 local men. In return for secure premises, administrative support and minimal overheads, Shedders give back in abundance: taking on maintenance, seasonal events, and a wide range of projects that benefit the church and the wider community.
This partnership was born from one man’s vision. Drawing on a career in community development, John Connor saw older men in his neighbourhood struggling with isolation and poor health. He partnered with the church to pilot a Shed project, and together they created a space where men could feel purposeful, connected and valued. As membership grew, so did the scope of their work — supporting schools, youth groups, preschools, charities and other community organisations. Recent projects have included everything from outdoor libraries and children’s play items to a large animal enclosure for a local charity, often completed through multi-visit team efforts that bring Shedders together with shared pride.
One of Upminster’s greatest strengths is its inclusivity. Not only does the workshop bring people together through making and practical projects, but the Shed also runs a second group specifically for men who are less physically able to use the workshop. This group meets for friendship, conversation, tea, biscuits and connection — ensuring nobody misses out on the benefits of community. The Shed’s team-based daily structure means three Shedders take ownership of each session, supporting one another, adapting tasks to individual abilities, and creating an environment where men can speak openly about health and wellbeing challenges.
Through upcycling and recycling, building useful resources for local groups, and sharing skills with children and young people, Upminster Men’s Shed continues to deepen its reach across the community. But above all, it offers a safe, welcoming space where men can rebuild confidence, find companionship, and feel part of something bigger — proving that with the right partnership behind you, a Shed can transform not only its members, but an entire network of local organisations and families.
Armed Forces Award
Ripon Men’s Shed, Ripon, North Yorkshire
Ripon Men’s Shed is deeply rooted in the city’s rich military heritage, with veterans making up a valued part of their membership and wider community network. Their work brings together service, craft, remembrance and community pride — and nowhere is this more visible than in their extraordinary “Knitted Tank” project.
Approached by the Ripon Community Poppy Project, Shedders and Army veterans Richard Thomson and Gordon Woods took on the huge challenge of designing and constructing a full-sized framework of a Churchill Mk IV tank — a tribute for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Ingeniously built in nine transportable sections, the tank became the canvas for nearly 2,000 hand-knitted squares created by local volunteers. The finished installation toured Ripon and beyond, drawing widespread public attention, raising funds for Help for Heroes and receiving national media coverage.
This spirit of service runs throughout the Shed’s work. Members have supported the Royal Engineers Association with memorial bench repairs, created specialist items for dementia care units, and are developing new partnerships with the Royal British Legion’s Lister House. Veterans frequently connect with the Shed through these collaborations, reinforcing how interwoven military service is with the community in Ripon. Alongside larger projects, members continue to support fellow veterans in personal ways — from recreating a lost regimental award to crafting a memorial plaque honouring a fallen soldier of the Falklands War.
Ripon Men’s Shed embodies what Sheds do best: bring people together, honour local history, support those who served, and use creativity to strengthen their community in unforgettable ways.
Southam Shed at Galanos House, Warwickshire
Southam Men’s Shed has transformed life for veterans both within the Royal British Legion’s Galanos House care home and across the wider community. In just 14 months, the Shed has become a powerful hub of connection, purpose and shared identity — bringing together residents living with dementia, cancer and age-related health issues alongside veterans from the community. Through projects, open days, Armed Forces events and weekly gatherings, Shedders have created a space where stories resurface, skills are rediscovered, and friendships form across generations of service. Their support for major local and regional events — from Armed Forces Day to VJ80 commemorations — has strengthened vital links with cadet forces, charities and military organisations. Their recent DRINKiQ Buddy Bench, engraved with Lest We Forget, even led to an order from a local MOD base.
Unique in being the only Men’s Shed located within an RBL care home, Southam runs alongside a thriving Community Hub and Café, enabling them to identify and support veterans who might otherwise go unnoticed. Members speak openly of how the Shed has transformed their wellbeing — providing purpose, camaraderie and a safe space to talk. With trained staff, strong partnerships and a fast-growing veteran membership, Southam Men’s Shed stands as a shining example of how Sheds can change lives, honour service, and build a community that truly looks after its own.
Heritage & Habitat Award
Wendover Men’s Shed, Buckinghamshire
Wendover Shed is a remarkable example of what happens when tradition, sustainability and community come together. From the very beginning, the Shed has been shaped — quite literally — by its members, who transformed an old stable block and a repurposed Portakabin into vibrant woodworking and metalworking spaces. Their timber-framed outdoor workspace was hand-built using traditional methods, preserving local heritage while creating a space that feels rooted in craft and history.
What truly sets Wendover apart is their pioneering off-grid setup. Powered by 18 solar panels, multiple storage batteries and a clever energy-efficient system that runs everything from lighting to lathes, the Shed operates independently from the mains. A composting toilet, renewable heating, battery-powered water systems and future plans for wind power and a borehole make Wendover one of the most environmentally sustainable Sheds in the UK — with running costs close to zero. Every innovation is driven by members’ ingenuity and their commitment to caring for the planet.
Heritage sits at the heart of the Shed too. Shedders pass on traditional crafting skills and are currently helping a local school revive the historic Chiltern craft of bodging with a pole lathe and drawbench. Their work for parish councils, community groups and individuals — from bat boxes and owl roosts to hedgehog houses and bug hotels — strengthens local wildlife habitats while showcasing the value of skilled, purposeful making. Members also volunteer their time for restoration work in local churchyards and support charities including local dementia groups through meaningful activity and companionship.
Wendover Shed is powered entirely by volunteers, spanning seven decades — from 17 to 98 years old. Whether someone comes seeking respite, company, creativity or simply a cup of tea and a chat, the Shed offers a warm, respectful place to belong. Some Shedders dive into woodturning or metalwork; others come to sit, talk, mend, or simply be part of something bigger than themselves.
By blending environmental stewardship, heritage craft, ingenious engineering and a deeply caring community ethos, Wendover Shed has created a place where people feel valued, purposeful and connected — proving that when a Shed is built by its people, for its people, it becomes so much more than a workspace. It becomes a community in the truest sense.
Braunton Men’s Shed, Devon
After years of searching for a home, Braunton Men’s Shed found an extraordinary solution that beautifully connects past and present: they built their Shed inside two restored railway goods carriages. These lovingly refurbished carriages — now fitted with lathes, pillar drills and woodworking stations — sit on reclaimed railway tracks and honour the long-lost railway line that once shaped village life. The Shed celebrated this history through their “Trains Gone By” project, capturing stories and memories of the line’s final years and publishing them in a community booklet that preserves a piece of Braunton’s identity for future generations.
This creativity extends far beyond their unique premises. Braunton Shedders run a thriving Toolcycle scheme, repairing and recycling tools to prevent waste. They host a monthly repair café to keep household items out of landfill and support wildlife and conservation in partnership with local organisations — crafting swift boxes, hedgehog houses and even train-shaped planters for Barnstaple Station, alongside a bug-hotel signal box inspired by another Shed’s project.
The Shed’s spirit is rooted in openness, generosity and connection. They welcome new members with warmth and enthusiasm — from retired engineers to 91-year-olds trying woodturning for the first time. Their work supports people of all ages: Cubs groups, local nature centres, schools, charities like Live Well in Braunton, and villagers rediscovering railway memories through the Shed’s heritage booklet. They have shown that a Shed doesn’t need a large building or big membership to have a huge impact — only creativity, kindness and the willingness to help where it’s needed.
Driven by perseverance, community spirit and a deep love of local heritage, Braunton Men’s Shed has become a unique and joyful space where making, mending and memory-keeping come together — proving that small Sheds can make a big difference.
Brunel Shed, Corsham, Wiltshire
Brunel Shed has become a powerhouse of heritage preservation, craftsmanship and community care in Corsham. Working closely with the Bath Stone Quarry Museum Trust and the Town Council, Shedders created the first ever public installation to record the town’s rich but previously undocumented industrial quarrying history. Over two years, eleven Shedders painstakingly restored two rusted 19th-century tramway trolleys — once used to carry tons of Bath stone along six miles of tramways to the railway — rebuilding them from decayed metalwork and heavy oak timbers using CAD designs, traditional skills and advice from a retired quarryman. The result is an impressive 9-metre heritage exhibit on the A4, complete with tramways, stone blocks and a museum-quality information board that now stands as a proud tribute to people, craft and place.
This commitment to heritage runs throughout the Shed’s work. Shedders have restored a mason’s trolley, rebuilt a 1940s pneumatic roof drill, recreated an arc chainsaw and produced a 1:5 scale trolley to showcase at local events. Their expertise is now sought after by councils and trusts — from refurbishing 18th-century village stocks to designing Grade I–compliant gates for a historic Almshouses Trust.
Just as impressive is Brunel Shed’s dedication to biodiversity and environmental care. Through a longstanding partnership with the Town Council, their weekly Memory Shed session — run with Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire — produces a constant supply of bat and bird boxes, with over 50 delivered this year. Their stunning 2-metre bug hotel, modelled on a local Elizabethan roof structure and installed in the town graveyard, has been described as “Corsham’s hidden gem.” They are now creating a scaled-down version for a nearby primary school.
The Shed’s impact on people is profound. Their Memory Shed, now running for seven years, offers early-stage dementia clients a place to enjoy meaningful activity, conversation and companionship, while giving carers invaluable respite. Their work with primary schools — creating outdoor sensory classrooms, glockenspiels, safari cars and mechanical gears — provides learning resources that schools could never have afforded commercially, enriching children’s education and imagination.
What makes Brunel Shed exceptional is the sheer range of work achieved by a relatively small team, the strength of their partnerships, and their belief in producing the very best outcomes for their community. Whether restoring heritage artefacts, designing custom CAD proposals, supporting dementia care, improving biodiversity or strengthening local culture, Brunel Shed embodies creativity, compassion and craftsmanship — proving that when Shedders work shoulder to shoulder, they can preserve the past while building a brighter future for everyone.
Shed of the Year
GoodShed, Cardiff
Based at the vibrant Railway Gardens community site in Cardiff, the goodShed is a warm, inclusive space where sustainability, creativity and community spirit come together. Rooted in the ethos of Green Squirrel — a social enterprise committed to practical climate action and community wellbeing — the goodShed is a place where people of all backgrounds gather to share skills, support one another and collaborate on hands-on projects that celebrate heritage, protect the environment and bring joy to making.
A standout example of their innovative community work is their involvement in the Llieinwe Flax Project — a partnership with artist Cat Lewis and organisations such as St Fagans Museum of Welsh Life, Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. Shedders stepped in at a crucial moment, providing volunteers, tools and beautifully crafted drop spindles and flax tools, all made from reclaimed materials and designed in consultation with heritage craft specialists. Their work has featured in museum demonstrations, Cardiff exhibitions and educational workshops, helping to revive one of Wales’s oldest sustainable textile traditions.
But heritage is just one thread of what they do. The goodShed champions environmental action across Splott — from making swift boxes, hedgehog habitats and bird tables, to running upcycling projects, clearing sheds to redistribute useful tools, and planning a Library of Things in partnership with Benthyg. They support local charities, refugee groups and youth organisations, collaborate with artists through outdoor theatre productions, and recently built a striking Shoulder to Shoulder buddy bench from reclaimed church timber, working with local artist Sian Donovan.
Their community relationships are deep, diverse and heartfelt. Partners consistently describe the goodShed as creative, dependable, resourceful and profoundly community-minded. Whether restoring heritage crafts, supporting local productions, running skill-sharing workshops, or welcoming people in for a chat and a cuppa, the goodShed has become a cornerstone of community life in Splott. Their commitment to sustainability, creative collaboration and social connection makes them a shining example of what a Shed can be: rooted in the past, essential in the present, and building a more resilient future for the community around them.
Linskill Shed, Tyne and Wear
At Linskill Shed, heritage and habitat aren’t abstract concepts — they’re preserved, celebrated and strengthened through practical action. Over the past year, the Shed has carried out an impressive range of projects that reuse resources, revive traditional skills and support both local and global communities. When a large cherry tree at the Linskill Centre had to be felled, Shedders transformed the timber into beautiful kitchen utensils, sold at community events to raise funds and keep the story of the tree alive. It was a perfect example of how the Shed honours heritage while reducing waste and creating something meaningful for others.
Sustainability is woven throughout everything they do. Through a partnership with the local authority’s recycling centre, Shedders rescue discarded wooden items that would otherwise go to landfill — restoring them, repurposing them or breaking them down into usable materials. This practical circular economy approach dramatically cuts waste and carbon, while powering new community projects.
Their tool refurbishment initiative has become one of Linskill’s most inspiring contributions. Unwanted tools are restored and assembled into complete trade kits for newly qualified tradespeople in African countries. Here in the UK, the project offers purposeful volunteering opportunities; internationally, it provides the practical means for people to build secure livelihoods. It is a powerful example of how a Shed can make a difference both locally and globally.
Linskill Shed also plays a key role in supporting biodiversity. They run community workshops on making planters and bird boxes, helping people learn new skills while encouraging pollinator-friendly planting and wildlife habitats. Their partnership with the Northumberland Wildlife Trust saw Shedders produce 50 bird box kits distributed across the community — giving families, schools and residents simple ways to help nature thrive. Their new building, powered by solar panels, further demonstrates their commitment to greener living and shows visitors how renewable energy can support sustainable community spaces.
Being part of the wider Linskill Centre & North Tyneside Community Development Trust gives the Shed unique strengths. Their newly expanded workshop allows them to welcome more members, run bigger projects and provide new learning opportunities. The strong governance and financial security of the Trust ensures long-term sustainability and deepens the Shed’s connection to the broader community.
Linskill is also distinctive in employing a Woodwork Supervisor, ensuring safe practice, high-quality outcomes and tailored support — especially important as they deliver women-only DIY workshops for widows, women on probation and others seeking confidence and independence. This commitment to inclusion reflects the Shed’s values: making, learning and belonging are for everyone.
Above all, Linskill Shed changes lives. It helps people regain confidence after loss, rebuild routine after retirement, find friendship after loneliness, and discover skills they never knew they had. Members learn, laugh and support one another — and families often share how much happier and healthier their loved ones are since joining the Shed.
With sustainability, heritage, wellbeing and inclusion at its heart, Linskill Shed embodies the spirit of the Heritage & Habitat Award — proving that what might have been thrown away can instead become a story, a skill, a habitat, a community connection, or even a future.
Men’s Shed Blaenau Gwent, South Wales
Men’s Shed Blaenau Gwent is a thriving, welcoming community of people committed to making their valleys a greener, kinder and more connected place. Their work this year has spanned environmental action, intergenerational learning, creative upcycling and meaningful local partnerships — all driven by a passion for improving life for people and wildlife in equal measure.
One of their cornerstone achievements has been their large-scale pallet recycling and upcycling programme, turning waste wood from local businesses into useful items for the community. Working with Tai Calon, Family First and Rassau Resource Centre, Shedders transformed scrap timber into planters, furniture and other practical items, preventing tonnes of reusable material from going to landfill. This work not only benefits the environment but also gives young people the opportunity to learn practical skills and take pride in creating something for their local area.
Their commitment to conservation is equally impressive. Members designed and produced around 75 wildlife boxes, including bird, bat and bug habitats, distributed through after-school clubs and community groups to spark children’s interest in nature. Their new community garden offers free, organically grown produce for local residents, encouraging pollinators, reducing food waste and providing a peaceful space where people and wildlife can flourish. Rainwater harvesting, home-made compost and creative reuse of materials show how practical sustainability sits at the heart of all they do.
Beyond making and mending, the Shed plays a vital role in community wellbeing. Many members are registered as Litter Picking Champions, supporting Blaenau Gwent Council while spreading awareness with residents and signposting people to the Shed’s welcoming warm hub — a safe, friendly space offering hot drinks, warmth and companionship through the colder months. This initiative has helped older and vulnerable residents save on energy costs, reduce isolation and feel part of their community again.
Men’s Shed Blaenau Gwent has also embraced innovation and creativity, from refurbishing household items for families on low incomes to launching a podcasting group, helping members build digital skills and confidence. Their Ladies’ Group continues to grow, offering emotional support, practical making sessions and collaborative projects that strengthen connections across the whole Shed.
Perhaps the greatest example of their impact is their intergenerational project with a local school struggling with attendance. Shedders worked with boys aged 13–15 to design and build a mini golf course as part of a reward scheme — a project that boosted confidence, improved attendance and has now been enjoyed by more than 1,000 students.
Across every project, one thing is clear: Men’s Shed Blaenau Gwent is a place where people, nature and community thrive together. By reducing waste, strengthening wellbeing, inspiring young people and supporting those who feel isolated, the Shed has become a treasured and transformative part of the Valley’s community.
Special Recognition Award
Humber Shed Alliance, Humberside
The Humber Shed Alliance is a remarkable example of what can happen when Sheds don’t just support their own members, but support each other. Across the Humber region, 22 Sheds have come together to form a trusted network that shares knowledge, skills and resources — ensuring every Shed is sustainable, safe and able to offer the very best support to its members and communities.
The Alliance was created by trustees from each Shed, who meet to shape a shared vision, mission and long-term strategy. This collaboration is transformational. Many new Sheds start with practical skills but not always the confidence to manage governance, fundraising, safeguarding or finances. Through the Alliance, experienced Shedders mentor new trustees, offering reassurance, lived experience and hands-on help. This peer-support approach means no Shed is left struggling alone, and every Shed benefits from the collective wisdom of the group.
A standout partnership is with the NHS Integrated Care Board, which has used the Alliance as a trusted route to reach men on important health issues such as prostate cancer, blood pressure and planned hospital changes. Alliance members now include trained Cancer Champions and Shedders who support blood-pressure checks across the region. Sheds have become focus groups, information hubs and safe spaces for men to discuss serious health topics without stigma — a vital service in an area where men’s health outcomes can be challenging.
The Alliance also collaborates on shared community projects: dismantling and repurposing pods, collecting tool and timber donations, making wig stands for the cancer hospital, building planters to support local food growing, and helping restore items of sentimental value for families. When the community calls, the Alliance answers — if one Shed can’t help, they find another that can. Large jobs are done cooperatively, such as clearing garages for bereaved families: one Shed provides a trailer, another provides the manpower, another the storage. It is Sheds at their very best — practical, caring and shoulder to shoulder.
What makes the Humber Shed Alliance truly special is its sense of family. Across 22 Sheds, generations come together — partners, children and grandchildren included — supporting local schools, drama groups, charities and neighbourhood organisations. The atmosphere of encouragement, camaraderie and shared purpose builds confidence and self-esteem, and tackles loneliness across hundreds of men.
The Alliance also supports its members behind the scenes. Trustees handle issues from mental health and homelessness to financial worries and digital challenges, always seeking professional guidance when needed. Their collective effort ensures over 300 men across the Humber area have social connection, a sense of purpose, emotional support and the banter that makes Shed life so powerful.
By working together rather than in isolation, the Humber Shed Alliance has built a resilient, caring and effective network that strengthens every Shed it touches — and transforms lives and communities across the region.
MC Men Shed (Marie Curie Hospice Shed) West Midlands
This hospice-based Men’s Shed is a deeply compassionate and truly unique space, created ten years ago to support men coping with grief. What began as two men meeting in a small hospice room has grown into a thriving community in a purpose-built Shed, supporting not only those who are bereaved but also men living with a palliative diagnosis themselves or caring for someone at the end of life. Recognising that men often find it difficult to open up in mixed groups, the volunteers created a safe, understanding place where tears, laughter, companionship and honesty sit comfortably side by side.
The Shed’s ethos is simple but powerful: no one goes through this alone. If someone doesn’t attend, another Shedder calls to check in. If a member is in hospital or too unwell to visit, the group arranges visits to maintain support. Talks, wellbeing sessions and light-hearted activities — from Dementia Friends workshops to visits from magicians and ukulele players — help members rebuild confidence, learn new skills and rediscover joy during some of the hardest moments of their lives.
The impact of this Shed reaches far beyond its four wooden walls. After one member recently passed away, over twenty Shedders attended his funeral, placing a box of biscuits on his coffin — a humorous and heartfelt gesture symbolising how valued he was and how deeply the men support one another. The group’s new volunteer barber offers monthly “barbershop sessions” in the Shed, giving men a gentle first step into the community and a moment of self-care in difficult times.
This Shed is also shaping the future of hospice-based men’s support nationally. Volunteers have been featured on local radio and even in The Telegraph, and are now working on a Marie Curie–funded project to help hospices across the UK establish their own Men’s Sheds. They join monthly online networks to advise hospice teams, share real stories, troubleshoot challenges and inspire others to build similar spaces — ensuring more men across the country can receive the support they deserve.
Driven by volunteers, strengthened by shared experience, and anchored in empathy, this Shed gives men purpose, belonging and a place to talk freely without judgement. Whether through fundraising to expand their accessible facilities, offering emotional support to new members, or simply sharing tea, biscuits and honesty, this hospice Men’s Shed changes lives — helping men carry grief, face illness, support loved ones, and rediscover hope together.
Rostrevor Men’s Shed, County Down, Northern Ireland
Rostrevor Men’s Shed has spent the past decade transforming lives by honouring heritage, protecting the environment and strengthening community wellbeing. Beginning in a car park with a few men and bags of vegetables, the Shed has grown into a thriving cross-community hub — one that not only supports Shedders, but provides a vital shared space for the entire village.
One of their earliest and most meaningful heritage projects marked the Armistice Centenary: Shedders worked with Kilbroney Parish Church to create 21 Perspex “Tommy” figures commemorating local men lost in WW1. Since then, they have helped mount significant artworks such as John Reilly’s The Crucifixion, installed a Greenheart timber stand for a historic 1733 bell, and crafted a Little Free Library and Parish Notice Board. These projects preserve local history while leaving lasting resources for the community.
Their environmental and intergenerational work is equally impactful. Through Eco-Schools projects, Shedders have delivered handmade bird boxes, planters and bug hotels to schools across the area — boosting biodiversity, enhancing Green Flag scores and inspiring children to care for their surroundings. River and shoreline clean-ups, wildlife projects and heritage signage for the Mournes complete their wide-ranging environmental commitment.
What makes Rostrevor truly unique is their role as facilities managers of their own community centre, which doubles as Shed HQ and a vibrant multi-purpose venue. Their space hosts everything from crochet groups to yoga, mindfulness sessions, art workshops, transfer test tutoring, speech and drama, Chi Me, baby yoga and a thriving games club for young adults — including those on the autistic spectrum. Two rooms are permanently home to Life & Time, an end-of-life care charity, enabling crucial family support at life’s hardest moments.
This means that unlike most Sheds, Rostrevor’s work impacts entire families, young people, schools, charities and those facing difficult life stages, as well as their own Shedders. Their inclusive, cross-community nature has helped them build strong partnerships across Ireland, north and south — even sailing to the Isle of Man to share skills and friendship with other Sheds. They also keep cultural heritage alive through traditional Irish tenor banjo making, passing on a craft unique to the region.
For Shedders, Rostrevor offers connection, conversation and routine that supports physical and mental health. For the wider community, it provides a welcoming, affordable place to learn, socialise, create, rest and belong. Whether through heritage projects, biodiversity work, intergenerational learning or compassionate care, Rostrevor Men’s Shed has grown into a centre of wellbeing — a Shed for all, where people of every background can find friendship, purpose and support.
Rotherhithe Shed, London
Rotherhithe Shed has always been a place where imagination meets craftsmanship — and nowhere is that spirit clearer than in their show-stopping recreation of Stephenson’s Rocket. Using nothing more than a derelict mobility scooter and a pile of reclaimed materials, Shedders transformed scrap into a fully mobile replica of the iconic 1829 steam engine. Partnering with their neighbours at the Brunel Museum, they unveiled the Rocket at the Museum’s community PlayDay, complete with members dressed as Georgian citizens. The joy, creativity and community engagement of the project are beautifully captured in their short film: “From Mobility Scooter to Rocket”.
This project reflects everything that makes Rotherhithe Shed special. For 11 years, the Shed has welcomed both men and women aged 55+, creating a warm, friendly and accessible space where people of all abilities can meet, learn new skills and support one another. Whether crafting, upcycling, repairing or simply sharing aspirations over a cuppa, the Shed has become a lifeline for people who may otherwise feel isolated or rarely leave their homes.
Rotherhithe Shedders are embedded in their community, frequently supporting their host organisations — London Bubble Theatre and Time & Talents — with practical help, creative builds and collaborative events that bring people together. Their commitment to sustainability shines through in every project, with scrap materials, recycled timber and repurposed equipment forming the backbone of their work.
Now rallying support through a crowdfunding campaign to return to operating twice a week, Rotherhithe Shed continues to demonstrate how a small, inclusive group can make a big impact. Their Rocket project didn’t just delight a community — it symbolised the inventiveness, heritage appreciation and togetherness that define Shed life.
Creative, welcoming and rooted in community spirit, Rotherhithe Shed shows how a Shed can uplift people, spark joy and keep local history rolling forward — sometimes quite literally.