Model planes, gardening, carpentry… a new Greenfield group has a whole host of activities to keep men over 55 active and involved in community life.
‘Men in Sheds’, run by Age UK Oldham, opened this month at the Satellite Centre and aims to tackle isolation among men and improve their physical and mental health.
It targets men who have undergone life-changing experiences, such as redundancy, loss of a partner, early dementia, illness or mental health problems.
The workshop environment helps develop skills through projects including restoration, wooden toy making and building bird tables – as well as putting the world to rights over a brew.
A £1,000 grant from the Saddleworth and Lees District Partnership will help the first project – landscaping the banking outside the Satellite Centre – to get up and running.
Project Co-ordinator Dave Freear, who also runs Men in Sheds in Failsworth four days a week, said: “There are lots of things for ladies to do but not very much for gents.
“They are a stubborn breed so it’s about getting them here to get involved so they can make new friends and help their wellbeing too.”
Men in Sheds runs every Thursday and Friday at the Satellite Centre, on Wellington Road in Greenfield, from 9am-12noon and 1pm-4pm. Sessions cost £2 each and members can attend two a week. Please book in advance by calling Dave: 0161 682 4747 or emailing: meninsheds@ageukoldham.org.uk
You must be logged in to post a comment.