Eric McIlhinney is a man on a mission to create a Men’s Shed group for the town.
The Men’s Shed movement is popular the length of the UK and are larger versions of a typical garden shed and a place to pursue practical interests and share tools and resources with other like minded people.
Keen to see a shed up and running in Moffat, Eric said: “Men who are retired or unemployed often feel that they are at a bit of a loose end during the day.
“A Men’s Shed can provide a focus for them and provide an opportunity to learn new skills or just socialise.
“I came across a few articles about sheds. They were all very positive about the effects of a shed on a man’s wellbeing and how they could provide a focus for socialising.”
A spokesman from the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association also highlighted the health benefits of the male hub.
He said: “Many men are not comfortable with the idea of just sitting down for long periods of time with a cup of tea and a biscuit and talking in a café or hall type setting.
“However, if you were to shift that idea and combine it also with doing where you are maybe helping others, learning something new or perhaps showing other men your skills from playing cards, learning to cook, model making, upholstering furniture, playing music/bands, practising speaking with one another after having a stroke, swapping stories or learning computer skills, the possibilities are endless and it takes on a whole new life of its own.
“For many men who attend a Men’s Shed regularly it is the highlight of their week. It is as much a social gathering as it is a place of learning or skill sharing and can have a hugely positive effect on those who become part of their local shed, families and communities.”
Eric is yet to secure a location for the Moffat shed but is hosting a meeting next Friday, February 10, at the Buccleuch Hotel at 3 pm and encouraging possible “shedders” to come along to turn the shed dream into a reality.
