Ellandi is proud to announce its new partnership with UK Men’s Sheds Association, the support body for Men’s Sheds across the UK.
The Association promotes the development Men’s Sheds through start up guidance, training, and networking. Today there are over 600 ‘Sheds’, with a further 150 or more in planning at any one time – the current rate of growth of Men’s Sheds is between six and nine a month.
Loneliness and isolation can have devastating effects on wellbeing. Mental health charities are reporting millions of people experiencing loneliness on a daily basis. Men typically, but by no means exclusively, find it more difficult to build social connections than women upon retirement age, redundancy, or a relationship breakdown. Men’s Sheds create places where people can connect with others, build friendships and learn new skills including woodwork & joinery, DIY, and furniture repair.
Ellandi will be working with the charity to provide access to vacant units for new sheds, encouraging pop-up/come and try it sessions across our centres. We’re committing our real estate skills to provide practical support in areas including reviewing property leases, basic organisational accountancy and leadership/succession planning, through our network and our teams’ voluntary time. Together we’ll build on the incredible growth the organisation has already achieved and get Men’s Sheds and the unique support they provide into even more locations.
David Meli, Partnerships & Community Development Manager for UKMSA, said; “We’re delighted to have been chosen as Ellandi’s Charity of the Year. Working together, we will aim to raise awareness about the benefits of Men’s Sheds in supporting the health and well-being of men and combatting the effects of loneliness and depression. Utilising spaces in shopping centres provides the opportunity of replicating the success of Bootle Shed in showcasing activities, and bringing the Men’s Shed message, to a new and more diverse audience.”
David Payling, Chief Operating Officer for Ellandi, adds, “Loneliness affects people of all ages and from all backgrounds and, while most of us will have experienced some feelings of being lonely at one time or another, the pandemic has acted as a trigger for chronic loneliness among a much greater proportion of the population than before. Men’s Sheds is a fantastic charity raising awareness and taking action to create networks that reduce loneliness and isolation. I’m excited to launch our partnership with Men’s Sheds, especially in Mental Health Awareness Week, and I look forward to seeing first-hand the work they do in our shared communities.”
