Forfar was an early arrival on the Scottish Men’s Shed scene after the international movement made these shores.
And eight years on it’s proved many roads lead to the Orchardbank workshop which has been its permanent home since 2019.
Several of the leading figures are adopted Loons.
So they are well placed to extol the shed’s success of fulfilling its ethos of bringing lads together for camaraderie and community involvement.
In the second part of a series shining the spotlight on Angus Men’s Sheds as the charity nationally faces funding uncertainty, Forfar stalwarts shared what the shed means to them.
Steel town to Bridie town
Chairman Brian Douglas arrived in Angus from the one-time Northamptonshire steelmaking town of Corby.
“Lots of people moved from Scotland to the steelworks with the guarantee of a house and a job,” he said.
“My wife is originally from Dundee so when we moved back up here four years’ ago I joined the shed pretty quickly.
“I was in construction for many years so I can use my skills in the Men’s Shed.
“But it’s given me a life up here basically,” said the 70-year-old.
“It gets me out of the house, but through the Men’s Shed I’ve met so many other people.
“And it’s led to me joining things like the Legion.”
He hails the relationship the shed has forged with Angus Council and the security a long lease deal for the Orchardbank workshop has given the group.
“This is the first real shed that we can call home and we have spent a lot of time and money on this building,” said Brian.
“But it would be great if we could see more men coming to the shed – we would love to hear from folk.
“And we are always on the lookout for materials such as wood which we can use in our projects.”
The Forfar Men’s Shed opens from Monday to Thursday and can be contacted through their Facebook page.
Iowa origins
A little farther travelled is shed secretary, 71-year-old Jim Van Nice.
He served with the US Navy at the former RAF Edzell base.
Like many, he married a local girl, so when the curtain came down on a 25-year military career with the closure of the Cold War spy base in the 1990s, Jim made the county his home.
The former Dundee College lecturer loves the variety of opportunities the shed provides.
“We are really keen on developing the community garden we have up here and surplus from it already goes to the Social Supermarket in the town,” said Jim.
The shedders have also made picnic tables for Lochside Connections dementia centre which was set up at Strathmore Cricket Club last year.
Shedders also played a part in the building of Forfar’s first community skiff.
And their latest projects include the refurbishment of almost 20 memorial benches from sites around Forfar for Angus Council.
“Our council community representative, Jennifer Anderson, has been super over the years and that makes all the difference,” said Jim.
Community value
Shed treasurer Steve Lowe, 67, says funding can be a struggle.
But he hopes increasing awareness of the lifeline role sheds can provide will help funders and organisations such as the local authority realise the added community value their vital financial support can create.
“The shed’s been great for me,” said qualified carpenter and former Stagecoach bus driver Steve.
“It gets me out of the house three or four days a week and I’ve been treasurer for the past three years.
“Money comes in in dribs and drabs and you always need to be looking for funding opportunities.
“Like the Scottish Men’s Shed Association, we are a charity.
“And although we don’t get direct support from them they organise things like insurance for all the sheds.
“That makes a difference rather than every individual shed trying to sort it out, so it is important to have a strong voice like the association.”
Funding fight
The Scottish Men’s Shed Association has launched a petition against the loss of valuable core funding.
The Scottish Government has provided £570,000 towards the initiative since it was launched in 2014, and agreed £75,000 funding in 2022.
But the Banchory-based Scottish Men’s Shed Association has learned there will be no cash for 2023/24.
It’s led to fears some sheds might even face closure.
So far more than 3,500 signatures have been added to the petition, and it can be found at 38degrees.org.uk
