Men in Sheds at Merrist Wood

The environment

The refurbishment of the second shed for our Men in Sheds project has provided a safe, secure space for larger items of machinery for woodworking. Some of the timber used in the refurbishment was reclaimed and the new building has visually improved the environment for visitors to the project as well as for users of the surrounding college buildings within the grounds of Merrist Wood.

Activity, health and leisure

Men in Sheds is a highly valued activity for the people who attend. They look forward to the sessions each week and enjoy the social side of meeting together, chatting and sharing stories at the coffee (and cake!) break, and the satisfaction of learning a new skill while creating useful items from wood. The sessions provide structure to the week and a place of belonging. This is particularly important for individuals who live alone and feel they are able to talk about things that are going on in their life, and share experiences with others who are in a similar situation.