The concept of the Men’s Shed movement originated in Australia in the 1990’s, where a number of issues were raised about the physical and mental health of elderly and usually retired men. It was found that men retiring from work sometimes slipped into a pattern of lack of exercise, heavy drinking and lack of self esteem. Such a void could also occur when, for example, a loved one is lost.
A conference in 1995 proposed the concept of the Men’s Shed to promote social interaction and reduce depression. The first actual Men’s Shed was setup in Tongala, Australia on July 26, 1998.
Since that date, the number of Men’s Sheds has increased massively and the movement arrived in the UK in 2005 where the first Shed was setup in Westhill, Scotland.
There are now over 300 Sheds in the UK with new ones opening at the rate of two a week.
The Scottish Men’s Shed Association was launched in November 2015 with the aim of helping new and existing groups to set up and run a Men’s Shed in their local town or community. We are here to give a helping hand to anyone looking for assistance or more information on what it means to develop and run a Men’s Shed.

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