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‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ 2024 Awards

The SMSA’s awards programme exists to recognise, reward and promote the contribution Men’s Sheds make and the huge life-changing impact that they are having on the people of Scotland and in our communities. With over 200 Men’s Shed groups now open or developing across all 32 local authority areas, this prestigious award aims to celebrate and showcase the connections and camaraderie taking place to benefit men’s health and wellbeing.

The 2024 Winner was announced as Banff, Macduff & District Men’s Shed at the awards event in October 2024 in Perth. Read the full story here.

‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Winners (2019-2024):

Commenting on the 2023 award, Banff, Macduff and District Men’s Shed Chairman Bob Copland, said: “We are absolutely gobsmacked, we really did not expect to be shortlisted let alone win. We wish to take this opportunity to congratulate and recognise the outstanding work being carried out by our fellow finalists Carluke Men’s Shed and Carse of Gowrie Men’s Shed and all the Sheds across Scotland.

“We are overwhelmed, and thankful to the SMSA, for the amount of publicity and interest that the awards have drummed up for us. Thanks go to each of our members for everything they do to make the Shed a success and to every single person that voted for us.”

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2022 winner was Men’s Shed Govan. Commenting on the award, Men’s Shed Govan Chairman Martin Haddow, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award. We have purposefully offered a wide and varied range of activities to meet our members’ needs – after all, not everyone likes woodwork and that is not the be all and end of Men’s Sheds. There is such a strong sense of camaraderie and the Shed has improved the quality of lives of its members by giving them a purpose, people to talk to and things to try and do. We are extremely proud to have turned a previously derelict nursery and undeveloped outdoor space that was being used as a dumping ground into a vital resource for our community that is hugely benefitting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of 70+ members.”

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2021 winner was Westhill & District Men’s Shed, the first-ever Scottish Men’s Shed. David Thomson, from the Shed said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this prestigious title that recognises the achievements, over the last eight years, from our extremely active and committed Board of Trustees and members. We have grown significantly over the years and now welcome over 300 members through our doors—averaging nearly 100 member visits per week.”

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In 2020, The Inverclyde Shed was crowned ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ 2020 – receiving 36% of the total votes from the public. Bruce Newlands, Chair of The Inverclyde Shed, said: “It was a huge surprise being awarded this title from the SMSA, particularly given the difficulties we and every Shed experienced learning to live with COVID-19. The award has helped unlock doors and make new partnerships with a range of people that we previously had not connected with. Many other Sheds have reached out in friendship to learn from how we’ve done things and the lessons we have learned. The award has also brought a great sense of pride to our Shed and our area – a belief that we can be confident that we are really making a difference.”

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In 2019, Aberchirder and District Men’s Shed scooped the title of the very first ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’.  The Shed was recognised for the incredible work carried out since its inception in 2016 and the team of seven men who carried out 30,000 man-hours over the 104-week construction process on its Shed build before its official opening in May 2019. Mike O’Brien, Chairman of the Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed, said: “Since winning the title in 2019, we have had a busy and successful time – our reputation just seemed to escalate and we have recently won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service too.”