Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year accolade as Maryburgh strikes silver
A ROSS-SHIRE men’s shed group credited with breathing fresh life into a primary school that had lain empty for almost a decade has been named runner-up in a prestigious competition.
Maryburgh Men’s Shed started in 2020 during the pandemic and centred around the transformation of the much-loved former primary school building was earlier this year named a finalist in the Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year 2024 Awards.
Andy Barnett, shed treasurer, said earlier the Maryburgh group had been “astounded” to make it through to the final three.
He explained that since starting out, members had lobbied and campaigned tirelessly to secure and transform the former primary school building in the village, and bring it back to community benefit.
The Maryburgh team was pipped at the post by Banff, Macduff and District Men's Shed which won the title for the second year in a row.
Representatives from the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) – the national support hub for 200+ Scottish Men’s Sheds and Scotland’s largest member-led men’s health and wellbeing charity – made the big announcement at their gathering in Perth to mark the charity’s 10th anniversary.
The event featured a jam-packed day of learning and networking for guest Sheds from all across Scotland before the announcement was announced.
SMSA CEO Jason Schroeder said: “Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed won the title last year and are the first former winner to ever reapply and we are delighted that they did! They have taken the title once again with Maryburgh Men’s Shed coming a close second followed by Breadalbane for our bronze winner.
“When we launched these awards back in 2019, it was never about winning – every Shed is a winner!
“The purpose is to raise awareness, celebrate, recognise and reward Scottish Men’s Shed volunteers for the work they are carrying out to improve men’s health and wellbeing and the impact that they are making in their local communities.
“Since then, the awards have grown tenfold. The tenacity of the Shedders to pull together never ceases to impress me. It is testament to personal and community commitment working selflessly for better quality lives.”
Along with the title and trophy, the Shed receives prizes and discounts to support the running of the group.
The anniversary event was supported by partners including Morrison Construction, Asda, Costco UK, Tesco and Morrisons. The conference also featured a 3D Printing Showcase by Paul Stewart from Three Towns Men’s Shed; an MOT4Men preventative men’s health workshop delivered by the SMSA; the Community Asset Transfer Process delivered by Community Ownership Support Service (COSS); and Machine Competency and Woodwork Safety delivered by David Young Training.
Dr Danielle Hutcheon and Julie Cowie from Glasgow Caledonian University talked on their new research on the ‘Impacts of Men’s Sheds on the Health and Wellbeing of Working Age Men from Disadvantaged Communities’.
Alison Leitch from the Scottish Social Prescribing Network presented on ‘Social Prescribing in Scottish Men’s Sheds’ – and the SMSA announced that they are currently working on guidance to share with their Shed members – and Mark Bloomfield from Axminster Tools also spoke on how they can support Men’s Sheds with advice and discounts to kit out their Shed workshop.
Guests were also treated to a pre-tour peek of the ‘Men Don’t Talk’ Play before Pete Lannon, engagement officer for Genesis Theatre Productions, highlighted some opportunities available for Sheds to get involved in the upcoming Scottish tour kicking off from the 18th October 2024 by providing some props from their Shed to the venues to give each performance a real feel of a shed.
Find the Shed closest to you on the SMSA website at www.scottishmsa.org.uk/find-a-shed
