Whitchurch Men in Sheds receive housebuilder’s donation in fight against loneliness

Having opened in 2017, Whitchurch Men in Sheds is a community workspace where likeminded individuals can attend socially to share skills, mentor and work on personal or community projects of all types, and to combat isolation and loneliness.

Despite the name, the shed also welcomes women among its members, who make up five of its members of over 30 local people. The group had originally been operating out of a facility fully funded by the town council, but has since been based in an old Tesco warehouse as paying tenants of the Beacon Church.

Although a reasonable size, the warehouse was not fit for purpose, so the first project for the members was to repurpose the existing fixtures and fittings to create a bespoke workshop environment with bench space, lighting and a state of the art heat pump system.

Carl Bentley, Hon. Secretary at Whitchurch Men in Sheds, said: “Many of our individual projects for personal or community use run alongside larger, collaborative projects. For example, we created a hardwood garden bench in memory of a local Councillor commissioned by the Canal and River Trust, we have made countless bird and bat boxes for the wildlife groups, and a flight simulator cockpit for the Air Training Corps.

“The combined effect of coming together in a safe and friendly environment continues to provide truly important benefits to both, the community and the individuals in the shed.

“Many friendships are formed and sustained at the shed, encouraging a strong focus on good mental health. We are proud to be associated with the Social Prescribing Network, where Primary Care Health Teams can refer people who might be lonely or lacking social interaction to come along to improve self-esteem, build friendships, and to find reasons to ‘get involved’ as opposed to sitting at home, isolated and possibly lonely.”

The donation from Barratt Homes, which is building new homes nearby at Talbot Place on Tilstock Road, will go towards its running costs, ensuring it can continue to provide its vital service for anyone in the local area that may be struggling with feelings of isolation.

Carl continued: “We live by the motto of ‘come in, we’ll put the kettle on and have a chat’; we welcome any and all who wish to attend our sessions. Some of our members exclusively attend for the hot drink and conversation as opposed to practical tasks.

“We rely on our members’ subscription fees and donations to remain open, so we are extremely grateful to Barrat Homes for its generous donation that will help sustain the exciting, inclusive and fun enterprise in our ever-growing market town.”

Adrian Evans, Managing Director at Barratt Homes West Midlands, said: “Working in the construction sector, Barratt Homes is aware just how tough the fight for mental health is. Any charity, like Whitchurch Men in Sheds, that is driven to give people community and help them through a difficult time in their lives is one we are happy to support.

“For anyone in the town of Whitchurch or its surrounding areas that may be experiencing feelings of loneliness, we would strongly encourage attending the Shed’s sessions and speaking with others that may understand exactly what you are going through.”

Anybody interested in finding out more about the shed and its activities can find out more details by visiting the website at Whitchurch Men in Sheds.