Plea for Men’s Shed movement after funds blow
The Men’s Shed movement is calling on the Scottish Government to reverse a “devastating” decision to withdraw funding from next year.
Chief executive Jason Schroeder said he was “gobsmacked” by the move and felt like he had been “sucker punched”.
Thousands of men benefit from more than 200 Men’s Sheds across Scotland. The facilities offer community spaces for men to connect and develop new hobbies, with the aim of reducing loneliness and isolation.
The Government has provided £570,000 towards the scheme since 2014, with £75,000 provided this year.
But the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) said a decision was taken in February to “stop all statutory funding” going forward in 2023.
SMSA chief executive Jason
Schroeder told the Press and Journal: “We were all gobsmacked at the decision. We got the letter, but it just doesn’t make sense.
“I felt like I had been sucker punched. We had been working with the Government for all theseyears.themenareallvolunteers.theimpactonourfamilies is devastating.”
An online petition states: “In a post-pandemic world, when reducing social isolation and loneliness and reconnecting with our communities once again is paramount, the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is making a call for action for the Government to continue to financially support the national hub of the Scottish Men’s Sheds movement and men’s health and wellbeing.”
The statement adds: “Now is notthetimetoabandonanddisinvest in this successful men’s health movement that is voluntarily engaging with and reaching men and changing and savinglives.thesevolunteersneed
our support now more than ever, as evidenced by the everincreasinggrowthinourmembership.”
Kinross and district Men’s Shed’s chairman David Conner said: “Without the SMSA, it is safe to say, we and some other
local sheds would not exist without their help steering us in the right direction – through the obstacles and bureaucracy that is thrown at you especially whenstartingsomethingnew– and enabling us to become selfsufficient.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said funding for Men’s Sheds had helped the movement grow from five sheds in 2013 to more than 200 today.