A bit like a Cheers bartender, Henry Paul knows everybody’s name at the new St Andrews Men’s Shed HQ.
Impressive given there are about 25 local men in attendance at the Tuesday session when I visit on a crisp sunny morning.
All in, there are 50 members of the St Andrews Men’s Shed and of course, Henry doesn’t just know their names.
He knows about their former careers, their families, their worries…
Affable, chatty and aware of his own, “very loud voice!”, Henry is originally from Wales. He spent 34 years in the RAF, mostly at Leuchars.
He flew as a navigator in Phantoms and Tornadoes, serving in both Gulf Wars and retired when RAF Leuchars was closed.
Henry has been keeping pretty busy every since.
Men’s Shed aside, Henry has an integral role as fundraising director at Craigtoun Park and organised the recent St Andrews Remembrance parade.
What’s a Men’s Shed?
Essentially, it’s an extension of the shed that many men have at the bottom of their gardens but with a sociable twist.
A place to socialise without alcohol, to combat isolation and work together to contribute to the local community in a meaningful way.
The Men’s Shed movement was born in Australia in 1998 and the first Scottish sheds were established in 2015.
How did Henry Paul set up the St Andrews Men’s Shed?
“I’ve been involved for eight years,” says the former navigator.
“A group of women who work in the caring sector in St Andrews were aware that there were loads of old men in town who wanted something to do.
“The men didn’t want to go to coffee mornings, which they saw as a woman’s domain.
The carers wanted to offer the men something that’s practical, and they said would you like to help?
“And I stupidly said, Yes!” he laughs.
The original St Andrews Men’s Shed was in the Botanical Gardens.
That was back in 2016. This year. Henry has taken St Andrews Men’s Shed from inception to a new site by Craigtoun Park.
Here there is space for a full-scale workshop, gardens and more.
He is passionate about the remit of the Men’s Shed and sees a real need for the social connection it offers local men:
“I think women make connections a lot easier,” he explains.
“Whereas for a lot of men, their socialising is through work and if you retire suddenly it’s more difficult to make those connections.”
What has he gained from the experience?
“A lot of stress, an ulcer, a heart condition and a worn-out car!” laughs Henry, alluding to the intensive level of commitment he took on.
“You have to deal with a lot of sensitive issues.”
Henry admits: “you do become the receptacle for everybody’s worries, but it’s better that they share those worries with me rather than bottle them up.”
The men who come to the shed share practical skills and learn new ones. Woodturning is a particularly popular activity at the shed and a skill that members can practise at home.
“They have a secret WhatsApp group ‘The Turners’ – they go off looking at planks of wood!”
Henry jests, obviously delighted by the friendships that extend beyond the official shed sessions.
Banter and good fun but a serious support network for St Andrews
It’s clear that the men hugely appreciate the skills and dedication that Henry has brought to the St Andrews Men’s Shed.
“Henry has been the driving force, actually,” comments one member, “without him we wouldn’t have made the move up here.”
“It is with great reluctance that we allowed him to retire the chair this year,” says another.
Fife community’s generosity
Henry is at pains to point out the new site for the Men’s Shed would not be possible without incredible local support.
While the new shed is under construction the Shedders are protected from the elements by a huge swimming pool cover donated by a local homeowner.
The new shed itself is a case in point. The builders Wallace Homes, donated an entire barn from a farm remodel. The only stipulation was that it had to be professionally dismantled.
“What Scott Wallace didn’t say out loud was, ‘I don’t want you clowns taking it down,” Henry chuckles.
He is also proud that much of the material used to create planters, reindeer or mud kitchens is donated and recycled.
Henry has passed the stewardship of the St Andrews Men’s Shed on to new chair Keith Haynes.
Now he is keen to start learning some practical skills himself.
“I just didn’t have time to do woodturning or make planters as chair,” he says.
But he has given countless others the opportunity to do just that.
Conversation