Men’s Shed needs more volunteers to get it finished

Men’s Shed is a concept that originated in Australia. It provides a place where men can come together and work side by side on private projects.

But it is also intended to be a place where men can relax and talk openly about their health issues if they want to.

In the light of that, Male Uprising Guernsey has donated £12,000 for a toilet and to buy materials to sort out the roof.

The Men’s Shed’s is at Sandpiper Vinery in St Peter’s, next to the greenhouse used by Taste Guernsey.

Previously the vinery’s packing sheds, the site has had a new roof fitted and a group of volunteers have been hard at work on the property.

But they need more help to get it finished, so an open day was held to give people an idea of what it is all about.

Marcel Lenormand and Mark Smith were the two islanders who hit upon bringing the idea to Guernsey after hearing a talk given by a man who set up a similar operation in Frome in Somerset at an event organised by the Dandelion Project last year.

‘Everything he said resonated with me,’ said Mr Lenormand.

Others, including Mr Smith, shared the same vision, so they set about getting a local group off the ground.

They had contacts with Taste Guernsey, so using the disused sheds next to the greenhouse seemed a good idea, apart from the fact that they were in a poor condition.

Mug chairman Dan Collins said the charity was happy to be able to fund the renovation work. ‘From our angle it seemed a bit of a no-brainer to get involved,’ he said.

While the charity has run campaigns promoting men’s physical well-being, he said their mental health was another subject that could be brought to the forefront by Men’s Shed, which he described as ‘getting men in a room together talking about their health issues in an environment without alcohol’.

The tools being provided to those who would like to use them include metal- and wood-working lathes, a 3D printer, a CNC router and a laser cutter.

Once up and running, there will be a variety of subscriptions available, for those who just want to go up for a cup of tea to those who wish to make use of the equipment on a regular or infrequent basis.

n For more information on Men’s Shed you can visit the website at sheds.gg, or find them on Facebook by searching for Men’s Shed Guernsey.