Shed project for older men opens

Older men are being encouraged to refurbish old tools for Africa

The first shed in a new project in Gloucestershire which aims to persuade older men to get out of their garden sheds and help others has opened.

Age Concern's "shed" in the Forest of Dean is a workshop where men over 50 can meet up and refurbish unwanted tools which will be sent to Africa.

The charity wants to encourage retired men who do not traditionally use their services and are at risk of isolation.

They also hope to revive and preserve the skills of repair and refurbishment.

'Joke conversation'

The "Men in Sheds" project's aim is for groups of men over 55 to meet together and refurbish old hand tools.

The tools will then be packaged up into tool kits by another charity, "Tools for Self Reliance", and sent to communities in Africa that need them.

Age Concern wants to harness the skills of the older generation who have expertise and experience in maintaining and refurbishing their own tools.

The charity also hopes the project will offer retired men an opportunity to socialise and meet new people in an environment they find comfortable.

Christina Snell, of Age Concern, said: "We had the challenge of 'What can we do?'

"What sort of project or service can we develop that's going to appeal to older men?

"The traditional things we do like day services and lunch clubs tend to be more populated by older women.

"It started from a joke conversation - 'what do men like to do? They like to go to their sheds'."

Pete Webb, a volunteer on the project, said: "There must be thousands and thousands of old saws in the country - thousands and thousands in garages and sheds.

"They can easily be refurbished, can have the teeth set and sharpened and once again becomes a useful object."