men in sheds

[bobtail4x4]

anyone done it?
a local group is being started, will it be full of trainspotters nerds? or just bearded weirdos?

what sort of thing do they do/meet up in etc??

[craig r]

I read a book called 'Man Down' earlier this year and there was a bit about men in sheds.

From what I could gather it is basically the WI for blokes. You meet up, have a brew and make bird boxes, and other odds and sods that sometimes gets sold at markets.

It was sold as a way to get away from the wife for a couple of hours, to give retired guys something to do, or as a relief from being lonely. TBH I think it's a good idea and potentially a great way to help with peoples mental health.

If I make it to retirement (I'm 37) then I fully expect to do something like this to supplement my hobbies.

[Spare tyre]

We have one here, you can take broken stuff there and they’ll fix it for you, or they make props for school panto etc

As other poster said it’s a male WI

[CubanPete]

Sounds like a really good thing to me from what I have read about it.

[Spare tyre]

If my dad was a widower this is the exact thing I’d be getting him to try

[Burrow01]

They have one locally where I live.

Seems a very good idea, giving older men a focal point and something to build their days around. Keeps their minds alert.

They started a "Women in Sheds" section, and my wife goes - loves it as she gets to play with all the woodworking machinery, and thinks its great for the guys, it replicates a bit of the sense of purpose you get from going to work

[Soloman Dodd]

Another possibility is a local U3A group. Everything from languages to walking, sports, history - you name it there is likely to be a group for it.

[some bloke]

Burrow01 said:

They have one locally where I live.

Seems a very good idea, giving older men a focal point and something to build their days around. Keeps their minds alert.

They started a "Women in Sheds" section, and my wife goes - loves it as she gets to play with all the woodworking machinery, and thinks it's great for the guys, it replicates a bit of the sense of purpose you get from going to work

A lady I know wanted to set one up for ladies but got a bit pissed off when I suggested calling it 'the box office' rather than 'women in sheds'.

[bucksmanuk]

There's one in Aylesbury (via Facebook) which has done some great things, but COVID has postponed much activity.
Can’t hurt to join.

[crofty1984]

I'm tempted to join my local one after Covid. They do one on Saturdays so you don't have to be retired. Only thing putting me off is that it's run by the local "Alive!" church. Not really a religion fan, but maybe they just run it and there's no God bothering or trying to "save" me.

Don't mean to offend anyone if that's your thing, it's just not my thing.

[mikey_b]

Church involvement shouldn’t necessarily put you off. I used to take my kids to a group called ‘who let the dads out’ which is also church run. You really wouldn’t know, though, it wasn’t ‘churchey’ in the slightest. The premise is just to get dads out the house with their young kids - free coffee and bacon sandwiches and a chat with other dads in a similar position, whilst the kids mess around on bouncy castles etc in the church hall. I think it’s nationwide - it’s certainly across Kent, anyway. To my mind, as someone not very religious, this is where the church is at its best - doing community stuff.

Possibly helps that our local vicar is an ex-marine (from before he turned to God) so is exceptionally down to earth and an all round nice guy.

[gtidriver]

I tried to join my local one but I'm not old enough, youngest is 47.i was gutted I couldn't join as they seem a great bunch. Will ask again after covid fks off.