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Published 7 March 2024

The UK Men’s Sheds Association is delighted to announce that it has been provisionally awarded a significant grant from the Government’s ‘Suicide Prevention Grant Fund 2023-25’

 

The UK Men’s Sheds Association exists to promote, support, develop and champion Men’s Sheds.  Men’s Sheds connect people, support creativity and start conversations.

 

Men’s Sheds are community workshops that encourage people to come together to make, repair, and repurpose, supporting projects in their local communities.  Through the work of the Shed, they improve wellbeing, reduce loneliness, and combat social isolation.  Men’s Sheds save lives and in the 2023 Health and Wellbeing survey completed by over 178 Men’s Sheds, 25% stated that they believed that they had saved a life and a further 14% believed they may have saved a life.

 

The provisional award of £143,608, announced by the Government today will help prevent suicides in men, it will provide a step change in the reach of the Men’s Sheds Movement. It will configure our suicide prevention activities to better address the increased demand in the most at-risk group, men, and support a range of diverse and innovative activities that can prevent suicides, both at a national and community level.

 

Charlie Bethel, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Men’s Sheds Association, ‘We are delighted to have been recognised for the impact of Men’s Sheds and the magnitude of the grant made to our charity.  This funding will make a real difference in our ability to support Sheds with bespoke materials to support their members and in addition to this it will allow us to upscale the reach of Men’s Sheds across the North of England and East Midlands as we hope to see a Men’s Shed in every community that wants one.’

 

‘Men’s Sheds reduce loneliness; social isolation; anxiety; depression and prevent suicide, many people have shared their journey and how the Shed has saved their lives. We invite local authorities and charities to work with us to see more Sheds opening, providing lifelong friendships, more community engagement, and a real value to the lives of those in Sheds and their communities

In a recent survey a Shedder talking about their experiences said,

‘ I had on a number of occasions contemplated suicide as I felt, having been very active and outgoing before my wife became ill, that I had no future to look forward to. I was also in constant pain and suicide seemed to be a way to stop all that.  She (Social Prescriber) took me to the Shed, a community center where people meet up every Friday morning to do different activities.  This was the first time I had left the house in more than 14 months.  That became a defining moment in my realising that there was a possible future, and I soon began to enjoy those two hours on a Friday’.   Source – Men’s Sheds Health Survey 2023

 

Funding will increase the reach of Men’s Sheds in areas of high deprivation for those in a known high-risk group; middle-aged and older aged men. It will support the delivery of a wide range of diverse and innovative activities, for men, that are known to reduce social isolation, improve mental well-being, reduce suicidal ideation and completion of suicide.

 

The project will see the development of resources and access to training for existing and new Sheds, share stories (particularly of men who have overcome suicidal thoughts), and at the same time deliver projects in the North of England and East Midlands to boost the growth of Sheds in these areas with dedicated staff.

 

UKMSA looks forward to working with existing and new partners in our work of transforming and saving lives.

 

END

 

For more information about UK Men’s Sheds Association and Men’s Sheds please visit www.menssheds.org.uk or email admin@ukmsa.org.uk

 

MEN’S SHEDS WORK!

On joining a Men’s Shed………

96% felt less lonely

89% were not as depressed

75% had decreased anxiety

97% made more friends

88% felt more connected to the community

and 25% of Sheds report to have saved someone’s life, with a further 14% believe they may have saved a life.

 

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