Mens Sheds

Louth Community Men’s Sheds Reach: County: Theme:

Contact: Website:

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Local [x] National County Louth [ x ] Lead healthier & active lives for longer [ x] Stay living in our own homes and communities [ ] Get to where we need to go, when we need to [ ] Be enabled by the built and social environment [ ] Feel and be safe at home and out and about [x ] Have the information we need to live full lives [ x] Be truly valued and respected [x ] Participate in social, economic and public life [ x ] Continue to learn, develop and work

Eva Beirne, Project Co-­‐Ordinator eva.beirne@netwellcentre.org or 085 8895471 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nGMro2Vtrw www.louthagefriendlycounty.ie www.menssheds.ie

Issue/ Opportunity: Through consultation with older people, men were highlighted as a target group that were vulnerable and isolated particularly men that did not/had not engaged socially. The Louth Men’s Sheds project was initiated under the Age Friendly Initiative and targets men at risk of isolation or experiencing major life changes. The project is very simple and has one criterion, men.

What was done?

The ‘shed’ environment encourages men to share skills and learn new ones for example, skills in wood turning, mechanical work and horticulture, to name but a few. Socialising is a large part of the project too, providing opportunities for the development of new friendships as well as the renewal of old ones. Under the age friendly imitative funding was sought from the IFI to roll out the shed programme including the appointment of a co-ordiantor. The funding received has allowed the sheds to develop and they are now moving to a sustainable model post funding including working in partnership with the key agencies to identify supports.

Key achievements: Three sheds have been developed to date with the support of a full time co-ordiantor • The Dundalk shed is frequented by a close-knit and older group of men, ranging in age from 60 to 87 years with an average age of 67 years. While these men tend to be less active, they are more social and their enterprise strengths relate to their enjoyment

of being together. They enjoy fund-raising through social quiz nights, in house draws and other social events as well as producing paintings, doll houses and many other beautiful hand crafted goods which are sold at the farmers market twice monthly

• In the Drogheda shed the men are relatively active and can be described as the ‘young old”, ranging in age from 48 to 75 with an average age of 60. There are great social entrepreneurial activities going on in this shed, with the men generating a regular income from the sale of their goods

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In the rural shed, in Cooley, the men are drawn largely from a farming background and this reflected in patterns of attendance in the shed, particularly when the weather is bad and farm work quieter. The men range in age from 50 to 80 years with an average age of 64. A key strength of this shed is the ability to tap into the tourist potential. By coincidence, a number of the men are former chefs and plans are well underway to create a cookery book, offer cookery lessons and cookery demonstrations. These men plan to open a tea shop to compliment the craft products created by their peers in the shed.

In total approximately 200 men are attending the sheds across the County

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The Netwell Centre managing the project will provide support and advice to other counties by arranging visits showcasing and highlighting how the shed operates

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Each shed runs FETAC accredited courses in partnership with the VEC

For further information please log onto www.louthagefriendlycounty.ie