One of Shrewsbury’s oldest companies has pledged a monthly donation over the next two years to support the valuable work of the town’s Men’s Shed project, which was last year judged the UK’s best out of more than 1,100 now open.
Morris Lubricants’ executive chairman, Andrew Goddard was so impressed during a visit to Shrewsbury Men’s Shed that he had no hesitation in providing support.
The men’s shed took over a set of dilapidated stables on the West Midlands Showground in Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, just over four years ago and converted them into 270 square metres of workshops and social space using only the time and skills of dedicated men who showed up, drawn by word of mouth.
The shed now has 140 members who each contribute each week to use the community hub, which also offers space for other charities and organisations. This vital service to the community offers friendship to the bereaved, people with dementia, men with cancer and those who are going through challenging times. It is also a place where woodturners, metalworkers, engineers and horticulturists alike can still use their skills and pass on their knowledge to others in the shed.
Members also learn cooking skills and the shed hopes to introduce arts, crafts and pottery in the future for people less able to work on their feet.
The shed costs £1,200 a month to run, which it raises through subscriptions, hire fees, selling things made by members, donations and grants.
Members have renovated and relocated Percy Thrower’s old greenhouse, which is now being used to grow plants, provided the infrastructure for a seasonal ferry service across the River Severn and are refurbishing cast iron bins and benches from the town centre for Shrewsbury Town Council.
Other projects include making an oak lectern with lights and Internet connectivity for St George’s Church at Frankwell and producing market stalls for some of the. county’s well-known markets.
“We are helping to prevent suicide, tackling loneliness and helping men to socialise and make new friends,” said Simon Rouse, Shrewsbury Men’s Shed chairman. “We are helping men feel that they have a role, a purpose in life and value to the community.
“We are saving the NHS a lot of money as one of the most referred to social prescriber organisations in Shropshire. We also take men introduced by local cancer support teams, stroke teams, community mental health groups, the Department for Work and Pensions, victims of crime and housing support.
“Our members range in age from 19 to 92, but the majority are of retirement age, with many being bereaved, including fathers struggling to come to terms with losing children. We have a complete cross-section of society.”
Welcoming the support from Morris Lubricants, he added: “We are incredibly grateful for this meaningful contribution towards our running costs from a well-respected company that has been associated with Shrewsbury for more than 150 years.
“In addition to the monthly donation given to the shed for the next two years, they have also agreed to provide oils, lubricants, greases and other maintenance fluids, which is a great help.”
Andrew Goddard said: “Shrewsbury Men’s Shed is a great facility here in the heart of the town, that’s doing fantastic work to support men’s mental health whilst also allowing them to continue using the skills from their working life.
“A lot of our ex-employees who have now retired would probably benefit from joining, particularly if they have been used to manual work. Everybody wants something different from the shed, and it’s a facility that is very much needed in society.
“There are many lonely, bereaved men whose social network has been through work. The shed gives them an opportunity to socialise and make new friends, and Morris Lubricants is proud to support this fantastic and important charity project.”
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