The University of East Anglia to research into the benefit of Men’s Sheds
Men’s Sheds are all about tackling isolation and improving wellbeing by taking on joint projects for the community.
Last updated 2nd Jul 2021
The University of East Anglia are investigating how being part of Men’s Shed impacts mental health and loneliness. The community spaces for men and women to work together on projects, learn and share skills and build social connections.
In Norfolk, there are 18 organisations, with another 5 in formation- one opening this week at Broom Marina Brundall.
There is a huge growth of 47% in Men’s Sheds across the UK with 110 coming on stream in the last five years.
The UEA team hope to better understand the role of social prescribing - when health professionals refer patients to support in the community to improve their health and wellbeing. The project has been funded by the UCL Loneliness and Social Isolation in Mental Health Network and will be carried out in collaboration with Men’s Shed and the UK Men’s Shed Association.
Lead researcher Dr Bryony Porter, from UEA’s School of Health Sciences, said:
“Over one million older adults are chronically lonely and loneliness is associated with a range of negative physical and mental health problems.
“Men’s Sheds aim to bring people together to tackle loneliness by making environments where men and women, but often older men, come together in a social space, doing practical activities like woodwork.”
“They are really unique places and the activities are similar to those of garden sheds, but for groups to enjoy together. They’ve been set up to tackle loneliness and they address a big a gap in the provision of community services for men, particularly older men.”
Henry Gowman is the Shed Ambassador for Norfolk, and chair Poringland & District Men's Shed and tells us about how much it means to his members:
“A guy comes along who’s a bit down in the dumps…thinks he doesn’t quite want to be there, has a cup of tea, has a chat, then comes along again, gets a bit more comfortable and starts joining in. Then he starts to feel better about himself, his family feel better that he’s feeling better… It affects the whole family unit”
“It’s their partners that will say to me, ‘ this has been a lifeline’, or ‘he’s a changed man, we’ve got things to talk about now'"
The research team will look at the best ways to measure how being part of the Shed community helps with loneliness, mental health and wellbeing. Shedders (existing Shed members) will undertake two online questionnaires, and some will be invited to be interviewed.