Praise for expansion of Men's Shed groups

The expansion of the Men's Shed movement in the North East has been celebrated in the Scottish Parliament.

Stonehaven Mens Shed has been granted £10,000 to restore the beach pavilion as a community resource.

Age Scotland gave the go-ahead for five new groups in the region this year at Peterhead, Aberchirder, Peterculter, Stonehaven and Braemar.

And the Stonehaven branch has been given £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to turn a disused beach pavilion into its new base of operations.

North East MSP Liam Kerr has submitted a Holyrood motion to mark the new group’s beginnings.

Mr Kerr’s full motion reads: “That the Parliament congratulates the Stonehaven and District Men’s Shed on securing £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All Scotland programme; understands that the Men’s Shed is a place for men to find new friends and share skills and experiences; recognises that the funding will be used to carry out repair work on a derelict beach pavilion in Stonehaven to transform it into a Men’s Shed; acknowledges that this space will also be made available to other local community groups, and wishes the group every success for the future.”

He said: “Men’s sheds have been transformative for the lives of so many people.

“There are now around 100 across Scotland – five years ago there were none. They are a different, relaxed environment for men of all ages to make new friends.

“And studies have shown the kinship they provide has benefits for the health of the retired and recently bereaved.

“The old beach pavilion is going to be available for other groups, too, and I hope it will be well used.”