Community ‘shed’ where men can build friendships

TRADESMEN, craftsmen or those simply looking to meet new people are invited to join Benson Community Shed.

An open day was held in the Canon’s Room behind St Helen’s Church on Saturday to showcase the projects being undertaken by members in an attempt to turn visitors into members.

Part of the nationwide Men’s Sheds Association, the community shed offers the chance to socialise, learn new skills or to build, repair and repurpose items of their own.

The shed, which recently gained charitable status, has around 15 members, known as “shedders”, who attend monthly meetings. Some are highly skilled in a trade or craft, others are beginners, or simply there to make friends.

More than 20 people attended Saturday’s open day to watch the “shedders” working on their projects — from gilding and picture framing, to making model trains and music boxes.

Trustee Robert Field demonstrated an ancient enamelling technique known as “cloisonné”. He said he took up the art after his son bought him a kit as a Christmas present.

He said: “I do all sorts of different things. You need an incredible amount of patience to do it but the end result is quite pleasing.”

While women are also welcome to join the shed, the Men’s Shed Association was set up to support men across the country with their wellbeing by combating social isolation and encouraging conversation.

Mr Field said: “It’s a mental health project. As the saying goes, women talk face-to-face and men talk shoulder-to-shoulder.

“If you have a group of men, particularly of a certain age, and you put them in a room, they probably wouldn’t communicate with each other. But if you put a bicycle to repair in the middle of them they would start.”

Mr Field said the shed is important for helping men tackle loneliness and depression, even if they are uninterested in crafting projects themselves.

He added: “I have a theory that people will become members of the shed even if they’re not really interested in coming along and making anything, simply because of the support.”

Ian Leppard, 84, who lives in High Street, has been a member of the shed for three-and-a-half years and values the connections forged there.

He said: “A lot of men don’t socialise. It’s an excuse to come along and either make something or just have a coffee and a chat. I have got to know a lot more people and that’s a good thing.”

Mike Amphlett, from Cholsey, displayed hand-crafted Scandinavian-style wooden spoons.

He said the shed became an important place for him when he felt at a loss after retiring five years ago.

Mr Amphlett said: “I fell into a bit of a trap. You spend 27 years of your life going to the same place every day and seeing the same people and, all of a sudden, at 5pm they close down their email and then you’re on your own.

“Nobody trains anybody for retirement and because you’re taken from one situation which is very sociable, to a situation where you’re at home and you don’t see anybody — that’s lonely.

“That’s the good thing about the open day. It’s trying to get people to open up and realise what’s going on in their own village. It may be something they can use, or they may know somebody who could use it.”

Mr Amphlett described crafting wooden spoons as “reflective”, adding: “I can sit down and lose two or three hours quite easily and you feel you’ve achieved something.”

He added that the shed is not only a “home” where members can work on their projects, but also an important forum for communication.

The group is in negotiation to secure a permanent home in Benson for the shed, which will house the shared workshop.

If you have a skill to share, or are interest in joining the shed, email bensoncommunityshed
@gmail.com