MEN'S SHEDS A TOOLKIT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SHEDS IN THE UK AND IRELAND
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MEN’S SHEDS
A TOOLKIT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
OF SHEDS IN THE UK AND IRELAND
This toolkit is the product of the four year Glasgow How to use this toolkit
Caledonian University ‘Sheds for Sustainable Development Men’s Sheds come in all different shapes and sizes,
Project’, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. so this toolkit is designed for Sheds at all different stages
We would like to thank the following stakeholders who of operation and development. The idea is to have one
were involved in developing this guide. More information place where you can access all of the information that
about the full project can be found at the back of you might need on your Shed journey.
the toolkit.
The toolkit is split into two main sections. Part 1 provides
f Scottish Men’s Sheds Association guidance to those thinking of starting a Men’s Shed,
f Age Scotland or those in the development stages. Part 2 is for Sheds
f Scottish Government Community that are already established who might be looking for
Empowerment Team advice and information, for example, how to overcome
unexpected challenges. The toolkit can also be a useful
f Seniors Together, South Lanarkshire reference point for agencies supporting Sheds. At the
f UK Men’s Sheds Association back of the toolkit we have also created a list of useful
f Men’s Sheds Cymru sources of information and support.
f Irish Mens Sheds Association
f Barrhead Men’s Shed There is no right or wrong way to start or run a Men’s
f Bellshill Men’s Shed Shed, and not all of the information provided will be
f Carse of Gowrie & District Men’s Shed applicable to you. This toolkit is simply here to provide
easily accessible support and guidance where needed.
f Keith & District Men’s Shed
To find what you are looking for just click on the relevant
f Perth Men’s Shed section in the following table of contents.
1
CONTENTS
PART 1: DEVELOPING A MEN’S SHED 4 PART 2: SUSTAINING A MEN’S SHED 26
What is a Men’s Shed? 5 Financial sustainability 27
Where do we start? 5 f Grant funding 27
What will our Shed look like? 7 f Fundraising/ donations 30
What resources will we need? 9 f Income generation 31
f Members 9 Acquiring new premises 32
f Committee 11 f N
egotiating a lease or full
ownership of a public 32
f External support 12 authority building
f Suitable premises 14 f R
enting a commercial/private
property 32
f Start-up funding 17
f Equipment 18 f Buying a property 34
Essential rules/ legislation 18 f Building your own Shed 35
f Health and safety 18 Ongoing health and safety 36
Members with additional health
f Insurance and liability 19 needs/disabilities 37
f Data protection 21 A few more common issues 38
f Equality/ discrimination 21 f Communication breakdowns 38
Organisation and administration 23 f T he overburden of
committee members 38
f Creating a constitution 23
f Getting charitable status 24 RESOURCES: USEFUL CONTACTS
AND WEBPAGES 40
f Creating a business plan 24
f T he Sheds for Sustainable
f Getting a bank account 24 Development Project 44
f Managing/ recording finances 25
f Core administration tasks 25
f Training and knowledge sharing 25
Toolkit text written by Dr Danielle Kelly and Professor Artur Steiner, Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health,
Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, Scotland, UK.
Design by Gilmour Graphics.
Photography courtesy of Hamish Livingstone, Seniors Together South Lanarkshire, Marion Morrison, George Munro,
Michelle Wibrew, Paul Thain, Jason Schroeder, Kimi Albertson, Andy Stewart, Tony Zaccarini, Nova Davies, Danielle Kelly, Liz Richards,
DGLimages, SeventyFour, m-gucci, Milan Popovic, Annie Spratt, Sarah Worth, kat Juska, Robert Arwel, Andrey Haimin, Mihai Lazar,
DLKR Life,John Moore and Chuttersnap.
ISBN number 9781914188053 published by Glasgow Caledonian University 2021.
2 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of Sheds
FOREWORD
Dear Shedder,
Men’s Sheds are vibrant community spaces bringing
people together to take part in practical activities,
learn new skills and simply have a laugh. The benefits
that Sheds can bring are far reaching, they can improve
men’s health and wellbeing, help the environment,
and contribute to strengthening communities- every city,
town and village should have one. Indeed, the number of
Men’s Sheds in the UK and Ireland is rapidly growing and
we want to contribute to the development of both –
new and existing Sheds.
As organisations led by volunteers, starting and running
a Shed can bring pressure and responsibility, and Sheds
need the right support to survive and thrive. We have
spent the past four years closely studying Sheds to
fully understand the challenges that they face in their
sustainability and development. We have spoken to
hundreds of Shedders, visited all kinds of different Sheds
and eaten a lot of biscuits along the way. We are so
grateful to those who took the time to tell us what is
important to them and share their brilliant ideas.
The culmination of this work is the following UK
and Ireland Men’s Shed Toolkit for Sustainability and
Development- a one stop shop for all of your Shedding
needs. We hope this will be a useful tool for you on your
Shed journey, whatever way, shape or form that may take.
Dr Danielle Kelly and Professor Artur Steiner
3
Part:1
DEVELOPING
A MEN’S SHED
4 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of Sheds
THIS SECTION OF THE TOOLKIT IS FOR THOSE THINKING
OF SETTING UP A MEN’S SHED, OR THOSE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT PHASE.
WHAT IS A MEN’S SHED? your Shed can be whatever your
Men’s Sheds are community-based members want it to be.
organisations typically ran by local
volunteers. They are spaces where WHERE DO WE START?
men with ‘time on their hands’ There isn’t one specific way to start
come to meet and take part in fun, a Men’s Shed and every Shed is
practical and social activities in different and unique, so some parts
a friendly environment. Sheds typically of this section will be more relevant
have three core features: to your journey than others.
Some Sheds are set up by local
1. A practical space where members
community members, while others
can take part in activities, such as
might be set up with help from
woodwork or gardening.
external agencies. Not all of the listed
2. A social space where members steps are mandatory, so feel free to skip
can relax, grab a cuppa and chat any parts that aren’t relevant to you at
to others. this time. However, it is useful
3. An inclusive and friendly to consider each piece of information
atmosphere where everyone is to future-proof your new Shed.
welcome and supported.
A good starting point may be
Men’s Sheds come in all shapes and to engage people in your local
sizes, and men attend Sheds from community that might be interested
all different backgrounds and ages. in a Men’s Shed. You might choose to
They also attend Sheds for many form a more formal ‘steering group’
different reasons; to use their or simply meet for a regular coffee in
skills and share their knowledge, a local café. Public meetings are
for relaxation and escape, for fun and a good way to spread your message,
banter, to meet new friends, or simply garner community support and attract
to be in a different place that’s not willing volunteers. This might also be
the pub. Some bring along their own a starting point to help you identify
projects, some take part in group potential premises, any funding
projects and some just come along for available in the community, or any
a cup of tea and a chat. Some Sheds supplies or equipment that people in
are mixed community Sheds and some the community might have. It is also
are men only spaces. As a grassroots a good idea to visit other Men’s Sheds
organisation, set up ‘by men for men’, to get useful tips and inspiration.
5
Some things to consider are: Why? f W hy a Men’s Shed? Is this needed in your community? What is the demand? f Why are you involved in starting this type of organisation? What is your motivation? What? f What resources will you need to get started? f What other resources are there for men in your area? Is there anything similar already in existence? How? f H ow will you engage with members of your community and target potential members? f How will you sustain your Shed? f How might you guarantee the success of your Shed? Who? f Who might benefit from a Shed in your community? f Who will set up the Shed and run it on a day to day basis? f Who else in your community might have the skills and knowledge needed to set up and run a Shed? When? f When will the Shed development start? f When will the Shed be open to its members? Where? f Where will the Shed be located? f Where will men find out about the Shed? f Where might you source further external support to start your Shed and sustain it? 6 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of Sheds
Remember to think carefully about Traditionally Men’s Sheds are based on
every eventuality and make sure that the garden Shed model of being full of
you have the resources and capability tools for making things. However, you
to overcome challenges. A good tip don’t need to be good at DIY to join
is to look for individuals (or a small a Men’s Shed. Sheds are well known
group of people) who have the to provide a wide range of activities to
capacity to dedicate their time to suit everyone’s interests, including:
developing a Shed in the first few
years. For example, people who
f Woodwork
have time on their hands and don’t
have other responsibilities such f Metalwork
as employment. f Gardening
f Social events
WHAT WILL OUR SHED LOOK LIKE?
Before deciding on the location of your f Photography
Shed and the funds that you might f Bike repairs
need to get started, it is important
f Car restoration
to think about what you and your
potential new members will actually f Furniture restoration
do in the Shed. After all, your Shed is f Walking
developed by the men for the men.
f Cooking
As mentioned, Men’s Sheds typically f Choirs and bands
have a practical space where members f 3D printing
take part in activities, and a social
space where members can chat. f Book clubs
These areas don’t need to be exclusive. f Arts and crafts
Men are well known to do most of f Model making (e.g. railways)
their socialising while taking part in
an activity, so this is a very important f Board games and computer
aspect. But it is also true that Shedders games
also like to congregate around the f S eminars and workshops from
kettle for a cup of tea and a biscuit. guest speakers or Shedders
f Community activities (e.g. galas)
f Home repair
f Exercise classes (e.g. yoga)
The type of activities that your Shed
delivers can also depend on what you
are allowed to do in the space you
have. For example, if you start off hiring
a village hall they might not let you
use electric tools and might not have
a kitchen. Sheds often start off small
with a few activities and build up their
range of activities as their membership,
skills base and funding pot grows. It is
also likely that activities might change
as members needs and interests
change, so it is always important to
regularly review what you are doing to
see what works and what doesn’t.
7
YOUR MEMBERS ARE YOUR KEY
ASSETS; THEY BRING THE SKILLS,
KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES
THAT ARE NEEDED TO DEVELOP
AND RUN A MEN’S SHED.
8 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsWHAT RESOURCES WILL WE NEED? supermarkets, community centres).
It is difficult for one person to set up This doesn’t have to be anything
a Shed by themselves. You will need fancy, a small print-out will do as
willing volunteers who are able to long as it looks catchy and has your
dedicate their time over the long or contact details on it.
short- term. This may consist of people f Set up a social media account that
from your local community, friends includes your contact details and
or family. some photos (e.g. Facebook or
Twitter). This is also a good way to
Members link up with other local community
Your members are your key assets; they webpages and advertise your
bring the skills, knowledge and resources Shed online.
that are needed to develop and run
a Men’s Shed. The equal input of all f Set up a table or stand at a local
members is essential, especially in the venue (e.g. supermarket, community
beginning stages of development centre) or community event (e.g. gala)
(i.e. deciding on premises and activities). where you can chat face to face with
This is to ensure that your organisation people from your community about
isn’t too ‘top down’ or hierarchical. your Shed plans and gather contact
details of potential members.
You may have started off holding local f Register your details on a national
community meetings about setting up Shed association webpage- these
a Shed, and now you have a group of websites often have a map where
core ‘members’ who are taking this people who have heard about
project forward. As the wheels are in Men’s Sheds can locate their closest
motion you will likely attract more organisation. Shed associations
members as you continue to develop may also provide opportunities
and grow, however, here are some useful to advertise your Shed in their
steps to generate interest: newsletter or through their mail-outs.
f Hold a public meeting in your area f Market your Shed to family members
and invite people from across the such as wives of potential members.
community, such as other community Family members are often a good
groups, local authorities, friends source of encouragement for men
and family. You could advertise thinking of joining a Shed and might
the meeting in areas where men provide that extra gentle push.
congregate in your community Again, places like hairdressing salons,
(e.g. bowls club, pub, bookies). supermarket noticeboards, local cafes
Similarly, it can be very effective and takeaways can be great places to
to advertise your meeting in areas reach this audience.
where women visit (i.e. hairdressing
salons), as it is often wives and You may collect a lot of contact details
partners of men who will bring them for potential members but this does
along or encourage them. In this not translate into people showing up
meeting you can spread the word for meetings or attending your Shed.
about your plans and gauge people’s Be patient, these things can take time,
interest in joining as members. and don’t forget that your Shed
doesn’t have to be busy to be
f Contact your local newspaper and see successful, sometimes it’s about
if you can get a small advertisement quality over quantity. On the other
or even a full page article about your hand, you may prefer to remain
Shed plans. small, especially at the beginning;
f Create leaflets to be handed out your Shed doesn’t have to continually
in your community and placed grow and expand, again, it’s up to
in local venues (e.g. GP surgeries, you what works.
9It is important to consider some communication barriers, such as may have physical or mental
barriers that may prevent men not speaking English, or having health issues. Always make sure
from joining your Shed, and how to hearing limitations. Therefore, to welcome new members in
overcome them: consider ways to improve a friendly manner. It can also
f T
aking part: Some men might communication within your Shed. be useful to introduce a buddy-
not be interested in socialising, For example, making sure you system where a designated
taking part in group activities have doors that can be closed to Shedder accompanies new
or making new friends. keep noise at a minimum members at meetings, or on
They might simply want to use for those hard of hearing. their first few days at the Shed.
the Shed equipment to do their You can also contact your Ask them what their interests are,
own projects. Therefore, make national voluntary organisation show them around, get them
sure you make it clear that the support webpages listed in the a cup of tea and introduce them
Shed is not solely for socialising. resources section at the back of to other members.
Often the socialising comes later the toolkit for more support.
If you have any questions about
as a product of taking part f C
onfidence: It can often be your membership please contact
in activities. difficult for men to pluck up your national Men’s Sheds Association
f C
ommunication/language the courage to attend a Shed for guidance.
barriers: There may be meeting, or walk into Shed
potential members who have premises. Especially those who
10 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsCommittee
Although all people in Sheds are equal, it can be important to have some form
of leadership and decision-making processes in place. To help with the smooth
running of your Shed you may decide to form a committee, which is also usually
made up of key members with useful skills and knowledge. A typical committee
will consist of:
Role Jobs Skills required
Chairperson To represent the Shed as a main Good listener, competent
point of contact, ensure that speaker, confident.
meetings are well organised and
chaired, guiding the committee
and the running and development
of the Shed.
Vice- To support the chair in their role Good listener, competent
chairperson and stand in where necessary. speaker, confident.
Secretary To organise meetings, write Well organised, good
agendas, take minutes, ensure communications skills,
the committee are informed of able to meet deadlines.
meetings dates and to deal with
committee correspondence.
Treasurer To ensure the smooth running Financially literate, good
of Shed finances, to monitor with numbers, attention
income and expenditure, maintain to detail.
financial records, manage budgets
and provide financial reports to
the committee.
11The number of members you have on your committee External support
may be dependent on the structure of your organisation. As well as sourcing core volunteers and forming
You may also have a sub-committee who help out when a committee, you will likely need to seek external
needed, for example, handling social media or advertising support to help develop your Shed. There are a wide
the Shed. range of agencies, associations and organisations that
you can contact, including:
When forming a committee, succession planning is vital f N
ational Men’s Sheds Associations, provide useful
so that the same people are not overburdened. You must advice and resources to both new and existing Sheds.
also consider that committee members may need to You can also use their webpages to locate existing
be replaced unexpectedly due to poor health or Men’s Sheds across the UK and Ireland.
other obligations.
f E xisting Men’s Sheds in your area or in other regions.
It may be useful to check if there are already any Shed
Men’s Sheds are well known for their ‘by the men for
networks existing in your region. Shedders are always
the men’ ethos, so it is important to remember that
happy to share their experiences and offer advice.
non-committee members also play a vital role in decision
making. Everyone is equal and you are all working f V
oluntary Organisation/ Charity Support Agencies/
together for a common purpose. Third Sector Interfaces who can give advice about
running a voluntary organisation. Examples include
the National Council for Voluntary Organisations
‘EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE (NCVO), and local volunteer support centres.
f L ocal Public Authorities, for example Community
A WORKING COMMITTEE, Development Officers operating in your local council
region. They can offer useful advice on premises
EVERYBODY’S ON A available to use in your area, and sources of funding.
LEVEL PLAYING WHEN f B
usiness Development support if you need advice
about generating income. Advice is often available
YOU WALK THROUGH from local and national Government webpages.
THAT DOOR’ (MEN’S SHED MEMBER) Some Sheds are set up by external agencies, or may be
part of an existing community partnership, so you may
already have direct access to skills and advice.
The aim is to make sure that all members feel included,
listened to and have a safe space to share their
experiences and knowledge. All contact details and links to relevant websites can be
found in the resources section at the back of the toolkit.
12 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsBox 1: Regional Support
Regional support for Men’s Shed development is offered across the UK
and Ireland.
The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) provide regional support
by engaging with local networks, and offering support via personal visits,
phone calls and emails. SMSA promotes and attend regional Shed Network
meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to connect with the regional
representatives of Scottish Sheds face-to-face or virtually on Zoom to
allow the free flow of information in regard to successes, challenges,
solutions and building personal relationships with the national
association and with each other ‘shoulder to shoulder’. The SMSA’s post
COVID-19 development plan includes the development officers support to
SMSA Shed Ambassadors across the national network to help further the ethos and deeper
understanding of the Scottish Men’s Shed grass roots Movement and the benefits of
SMSA Membership.
The UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA) has a scheme where experienced Shedders become
volunteer Shed Ambassadors. These Ambassadors have a track record of setting up safe
and sustainable Sheds in their region- and are therefore able to offer valuable support and
guidance to those wishing to set up Sheds within their own communities. Ambassadors
provide information and support via phone, email and in person, sharing their vast
knowledge and experience. Ambassadors also present at local events and conferences,
and attend start up meetings to inspire and motivate people to start new Sheds.
Men’s Sheds Cymru has three Regional Development Officers (RDO’s), who are
the main point of contact to generate interest and promote the Men’s Sheds
concept in their area and across Wales. They work with individuals, communities
and organisations who have an interest in creating a new Men’s Sheds.
RDOs are also on hand to help and support existing ‘sheds’ with continuity
or new ventures.
For more information on regional based support and networks please contact your national
Men’s Sheds Association.
13Suitable premises A good starting point is to get out into your community
While you are in the planning stages of your Men’s Shed and do some research:
it may be easier to meet in a local community space,
f C
ontact other community groups for advice, they may
such as a village hall bowling club, or community centre.
know of local spaces available for use. There may be
Especially if you are still trying to generate interest,
potential to share some space with another group.
sign up members or form a solid committee. These spaces
can often be used for free so are a great starting point for f C
heck your local public authority webpages or
those who have little or no start-up funds. contact them via email for lists of empty or ‘surplus’
properties/assets in your area, or properties they are
However, you may likely get to a stage where you need unable to market (e.g. council, police, health service).
a permanent space to start activities and store your
equipment. It is important to think about how many f M
ake connections with private landlords in your area
Shedders you are likely to attract, how long you would (e.g. owners of factories or industrial units).
like to stay in the premises and what is available locally. f T alk to local housing associations who often have
Here are a few examples of things to consider: a large portfolio of properties.
f Is it easily accessible by public transport? The important thing is to make good connections and get
Is there parking? yourself known in your local area- you might be surprised
f A
re there kitchen facilities for tea breaks and at how many people want to support your initiative.
washing up? There are a number of options to consider for your
f Does it have accessible toilet facilities? premises, some useful examples are also shown in Box 2:
f Is it wheelchair friendly?
f Is the building structurally safe?
Are there any risks?
f Can we store our equipment?
Box 2: Thinking outside of the box
It is good to keep an open mind about premises. Here are some
examples of creative ways to use space:
f Hire a Scout Hut when not in use by the Scouts
f Set up storage containers in a waste recycling centre and upcycle materials on site
f S et up a Shed in a community allotment and contribute to building planters
and fencing
f Use a school woodwork department out of hours.
Sheds are also known to rent out their own premises to other community groups to
use as an income stream. Visiting other Sheds may give you great inspiration.
14 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsHiring/using a room - this is less Buying a property - this is probably
permanent but is good for the the most expensive option but there
planning stages of your Shed. can be grants available to support
For example, a community centre the purchase of a building by
or village hall could be hired at a community group if you do
an hourly rate or even for free. your research.
However, you may not be able to
bring in or store any electrical tools Build your own Shed - if you can
or materials. find a suitable plot of land to build
a Shed, are able to raise the funds
Leasing a public authority building and have access to the skills and
- leasing a public authority building knowledge required this could be
(e.g. from the local council) is a viable option. However, this can
a common route for community be a very ambitious task and can
groups. Public authorities tend to involve a lot of planning and
have a portfolio of buildings and paperwork.
land that you can enquire about,
and you can often negotiate You might also want to think about
reduced rates. In some areas there your plans for the future of your
are also options for community premises- would you want to have
ownership of public buildings and a long or short-term lease - or would
land. More detailed information on you want to have full ownership?
this can be found in Part 2 of Who will be in charge of the
the toolkit. maintenance of the building?
Might your financial situation change
Renting a commercial/ private in the future that could affect your
property - private landlords may ability to make rental payments?
be keen to support a community
initiative so can often offer reduced There is help available to support
rates, or shared use of a space. you while you work out the best
Sheds have been known to negotiate solution for your Shed, and this is
lower rental rates if they do some covered in more detail in the Part 2
renovation of the building for the premises section of the toolkit.
private landlord. However, costs for There are also links to various
private rental from letting agents can organisations that offer free help to
sometimes be high, so this might support you in acquiring premises-
only be a feasible option if you have these can be found in the resources
a steady income stream. section at the back of this toolkit.
15THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IS TO MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN
IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE
GOOD CONNECTIONS WITH
POTENTIAL DONORS.
16 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsStart-up funding f G
rant funding- this involves f I ncome generation- a simple way
filling in an application form for to generate start-up income is
There are always costs associated a pot of money from a small to charge fees to your members
with starting up and sustaining any or large funder. It will typically through a single, monthly or
type of community organisation. require providing detailed annual fee. For example, some
Start-up costs for a Men’s Shed information about your Shed. Sheds may charge £1/ 1 Euro
may include: Some funders may specialise per meeting to each member
in start-up funding for small to cover the cost of hiring a hall
f Rental/hire costs for premises community organisations, and paying for tea and biscuits.
f Possible renovation of premises so this is a good place to start. Some Sheds also create items
to sell for income generation at
f Utilities costs: gas, electric, water f D
onations/ Fundraising-
local events such as bird tables,
this can be a simple way to raise
f F unds to pay for tools, equipment nesting boxes, planters.
a small amount of money to
and activities cover start-up costs such as
f Insurance costs buying equipment. For example, More detailed information about
you could hold a coffee morning, funding and financial sustainability
f P
rinting/ photocopying costs for or organise a community raffle. can be found in Part 2 of this toolkit.
promotional leaflets and posters You may also receive donations
f Money for tea, coffee and biscuits. of physical objects to fill your
Shed (e.g. tools, kettle, wood,
paint). The most important
Depending on the intended location
thing is to make yourself known
and size of your Shed and range of
in your community and make
activities you plan to offer, you will
good connections with potential
need to consider your current and
donors (e.g. local businesses and
future finances.
builders merchants).
To cover all or some of these
costs there are specific types of
funding available:
17Equipment a designated storage space in the Shed;
The type of equipment that you need finding local free storage solutions Fire safety
will depend entirely on the activities within your community; or renting or including fire alarms,
that your members want to do (e.g. purchasing storage containers. fire extinguishers, clear exits,
woodwork, metalwork, gardening, assembly point
music, computing). Members might ESSENTIAL RULES/ LEGISLATION
bring in their own hand tools from To run any type of community
Safety of machinery/
home, you may also get donations from organisation there are basic rules/
equipment
community members, local businesses legislations that you should be aware
including PAT testing,
or schools through word of mouth. of and follow where necessary. This is
emergency stop buttons,
However, if your Shed is going to have to ensure that your Shed is a safe and
regular maintenance,
any electrical equipment you must secure environment for all, and that you
handling flammable liquids,
ensure that this all complies with health are fully aware of issues that could affect
risk assessments
and safety regulations, such as Portable your organisation. There are different
Appliance Testing (PAT). You can laws and legislations that exist across
Safety of premises
contact a local electrician or visit your the UK and Ireland, so always refer to
including risks and hazards,
national health and safety webpages your local and national government
building regulations/
for guidance; these are all listed in the webpages for guidance. Useful contacts
inspections, electrics,
resources section at the back of can also be found in the resources
signage, tidying up
the toolkit. section at the back of this toolkit.
Materials (such as wood or metal) can Your Shed might consider creating Training
be found through a number of means: a ‘code of conduct’ to ensure that including safety inductions,
everyone adheres to the standards use of machines/ equipment,
f R
ecycling: visiting recycling and expectations set within your Shed. keeping individual records
depots, using community re-use This could be given to new members
and Freecycle websites, charity upon joining, for example in
shops, looking for unused or surplus a membership form. Ideas and Supervision
materials from builder’s yards. templates can be sourced from your of those using
national Men’s Sheds Association. machinery/ equipment
f D
onations: from the local
community or local businesses. Health and safety
Some national Shed Associations Although Men’s Sheds are not classed Personal protection
have partnerships with national as places of work and are not bound by safety goggles, gloves, dust
suppliers. legislation, such as the UK Health and extraction, accident book
f P
urchased: buying from suppliers, Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Irish
if you let them know that you are Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act
a small community group you (2005), your Shed still has a duty of care Insurance and liability
might even get a discount. to look after the health and wellbeing are you adequately covered
of its members. in the case of an accident?
Other Sheds in your area might also be
Your Shed might have equipment and Recording of
looking to swap, sell or upcycle some
machinery that could cause injury personal details
of their tools and materials so it might
to members. You might also have including emergency
be useful to contact them. This could members who are more vulnerable to
be done through social media pages contacts, medical details,
injury, especially if they have limited factors that may increase
or through contacting your national ability or existing health issues. individual risk
Men’s Sheds Association. Donations of To ensure the health and safety of
equipment may increase as your Shed all members there are a number of Cleanliness/ Hygiene
becomes more well known. It is vital things to consider: including keeping shared
to plan for space to store equipment, areas clean and the use of
materials and donations from the start, anti-bacterial products
especially when looking at potential i.e. disinfecting toilets
premises. This might include having
18 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsDue to the unpredictable nature of advice. Useful links to online advice liability insurance, which is relatively
the COVID 19 pandemic, and the can also be found on the national inexpensive and protects against
length of its influence on society, health and safety webpages listed any allegations of injury caused
we suggest you refer to guidance in the resources section at the back to someone by your Shed.
from your government and national of the toolkit. You can also contact For example, if someone was to
Men’s Sheds Association about your national Men’s Sheds Association trip over a wire, burn themselves
ongoing COVID 19 related health for guidance. with a kettle, or damage their
and safety measures. fingers using a sander. It also covers
Insurance and liability you should you accidentally damage
As there are a lot of factors to think Adequate insurance is essential for a property that you are renting/
about, it can be helpful to have all types of community organisations hiring, so most landlords or public
assigned Shedders who are in charge to cover for all eventualities. This may authorities will require that you
of regularly overseeing health and include protection for: have this in place before renting
safety in your Shed. You also need space to you. Some insurers offer
to think about ways to get your f P
roperty (e.g. land, buildings, specialist charity insurance that
members to adhere to health and furniture, computers, tools) can be more comprehensive and
safety rules. Some members may tailored for your needs, especially
attend your Shed to have fun and f C
ash held on premises or in organisations that do not have the
escape rules and regulations, so you transit (e.g. membership fees) financial capacity to pay any costs
might have to think creatively to f A
ny liabilities to people (e.g. for damages. For more information
get them on board. More detailed volunteers or the general public) on insurance, please visit the
information on on-going health national voluntary organisation
and safety can be found in Part 2 of f Fundraising or special events support webpages listed in the
the toolkit. f Trustee protection resources section at the back of the
toolkit. You can also contact your
To ensure that you have considered national Men’s Sheds Association
all aspects of health and safety, The most common form of insurance for specific advice for Sheds and
it might be useful to visit a fully or organisations that deal with possible insurance discounts for
operational Shed and ask for their members of the public is public shed members.
19AS COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS,
MEN’S SHEDS ARE OPEN AND
WELCOMING ENVIRONMENTS FOR
PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS
AND ABILITIES.
20 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsData protection Similarly, under all Data Protection Equality/ discrimination
As you may gather and store personal Acts, members have the right to find As community organisations,
information of your Shed members out what data the Shed stores about Men’s Sheds are open and
(such as contact details), you must them, which includes the right to: welcoming environments for people
follow the UK Data Protection Act of all backgrounds and abilities.
2018 and the Ireland Data Protection f b
e informed about how their Equality is all about treating everyone
Act 2018. There are strict rules that data is being used fairly, and recognising that people
must be followed that ensure that have different circumstances that
f access personal data
information is: need to be considered to enable
f have incorrect data updated their participation on equal terms
f u
sed fairly, lawfully and
transparently f have data erased with others.
f u
sed for specified, f s top or restrict the processing The UK Equalities Act 2010 and Irish
explicit purposes of their data Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 must
be adhered to within every Shed.
f u
sed in a way that is adequate, f d
ata portability (the reuse of These Acts are in place to legally
relevant and limited to only their data for different services)
protect people from discrimination
what is necessary f o
bject to how their data is and outline the different ways
f a ccurate and, where necessary, processed in certain in which it is unlawful to treat
kept up to date circumstances. people. For example, preventing
f k ept for no longer than discrimination for sex/gender,
For further information about race, religion or disability. For more
is necessary
data protection, visit: information on the UK Equalities
f h
andled in a way that www.gov.uk/data-protection or Act please visit:
ensures appropriate security, www.dataprotection.ie www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-
including protection against 2010-guidance
unlawful or unauthorised
processing, access, loss, For more information on the Irish
destruction or damage. Equal Status Acts please visit:
www.ihrec.ie/your-rights
21IT IS LIKELY THAT PLANS
MIGHT CHANGE AS
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
OR UNEXPECTED
CHALLENGES ARISE.
22 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsORGANISATION AND
ADMINISTRATION
To ensure the smooth set-up and
operation of your Shed, there are some
key areas to consider. Again, each Shed
is individual so some of these tasks may
be more relevant to your journey
than others.
Creating a constitution
(also known as a ‘governing document’)
In simple terms a constitution is
a written agreement of what a group
is going to do and how they are going
to do it. This can be the basic starting
point for any organisation. It is there
to guide you by setting out the aims
and purposes of the group and it also
shows that you are democratic and
accountable. For example, by outlining
particular rules about decision
making processes and governance.
Most constitutions include:
1. Name of organisation
2. Purpose of organisation
3. Who runs the organisation?
4. How meetings are held?
5. What rules are in place?
6. What happens if the
organisation dissolves?
If you decide to gain charity status
you will require a constitution.
This document also gives funders an
assurance that their funds will be spent
in line with the aims of the constitution.
Similarly, most sources of funding
are only available to groups that have
a registered bank account, and to get
a bank account your group will need
a constitution. For more information
on how to write a constitution, visit the
national voluntary organisation support
webpages listed in the resources
section at the back of the toolkit.
You can also contact your national
Men’s Sheds Association for useful
Shed specific templates.
23Getting charitable status funders and the public. It will help you to clarify your
You may decide that you would like your Men’s Shed to aims and objectives, identify potential risks and issues,
become a registered charity with a distinctive legal form set out goals and strategies and measure your progress.
and a special tax status. It is free to become a registered A business plan is also required if you wish to become
charity and the benefits of this can include: a charity, and you will likely be asked for a business plan
from funders. A typical business plan will include:
f Public recognition and trust
f The locking of assets for charitable/ social use
1. A history or background to your Men’s Shed
f Tax benefits and reduced rates
f B
eing looked on more favourably by funders/ more 2. What future activities are planned and how you will
access to funding. achieve this?
However, there are legal obligations that come with being 3. How you will source funding and become
a charity, for example having a set of charity trustees, financially sustainable?
providing annual financial reports to charity regulators
4. How you will assess/deal with potential risks to
and creating a constitution. You will also need to decide
your Shed?
what legal form your charity will take. There tends to be
four main types of charity structure, however this can 5. How you will measure/ evaluate progress
differ across the UK and Ireland: and growth?
1. A charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) - 6. How you will monitor budgets and spending?
Trustees have limited or no liability for charity debts
or liabilities. All actions are taken under the charity
name as a single entity. An advantage of becoming It is likely that plans might change as new opportunities
a CIO is having an independent examiners report or unexpected challenges arise. Similarly, different funders
rather than a full audit, which is a quicker and might ask different questions. Therefore, it might not be
cheaper option. appropriate to produce a single formal document,
but rather to regularly evaluate where your Shed is
2. A charitable company (limited by guarantee) - and what it’s plans are.
an incorporated charity that also trades, employs
staff, regularly enters contracts etc. The key is to be as honest as possible and not to set
unachievable goals. For more information about how to
3. A
n unincorporated charitable association - create a business plan, please visit the national voluntary
Trustees do have liability for charity debts or organisation support webpages listed in the resources
liabilities. You can’t employ staff or own premises. section at the back of the toolkit. You can also contact
your national Men’s Sheds Association for templates and
4. A charitable trust - a group of people (i.e. trustees) examples of previous Shed business plans.
who manage assets such as money, land or
buildings under a governing document. Getting a bank account
If you are a constituted group generating funds through
memberships or donations you will require a bank
For information on charity structures and how to become account in the Shed’s name. Accounts are available from
a charity please visit your national charity regulator most banks for small voluntary organisations/charities,
webpages listed in the resources section at the back of so contact your bank to see what they offer. You will need
the toolkit. You can also contact your national Men’s Sheds to provide proof of your voluntary or charity status and
Association for advice, or speak to other Men’s Sheds who that you are not a private business, this could be your
have been through this process. constitution or charity number.
Creating a business plan
While this may seem a little strange for a voluntary
organisation, a business plan can be important to plan for
the future, and to be accountable to your members,
24 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsManaging/recording finances running your Shed depending on the members with a sense of purpose
Up-to-date financial records scale of your activities. Here are some and routine in their lives where this
(or projections if you are a new examples of things to consider: may have been lost.
group) will need to be produced for
the following reasons: Training and knowledge sharing
f M
embership- recording member
Whether your Shed offers only
contact details (and keeping this
f T o provide financial transparency up to date), recording who has a few small activities or a wide
to your members and to plan for been trained on machinery, visitor range, you will likely require
the future bookfor fire safety regulations, members who can share their
collecting membership fees knowledge and experiences and
f T o send to the charity regulator train others to use equipment and
(usually annually but can be f Communication- contacting machinery. Sometimes members
on request) members and relevant may naturally fall into roles based
stakeholders via email or on their expertise. For example,
f If applying for funding (part of the
telephone, drafting letters, someone with health and safety
application process).
answering enquires, experience may take charge of
chairing and organising meetings doing risk assessments; or an
f If applying to public authorities
for premises (part of the f Advertisement/ promotion- ex-carpenter may want to take
application process). setting up and running social charge of overseeing a woodwork
media accounts, designing and area. It can be useful to gather
This might be the job of the Treasurer, distributing leaflets, contributing information from new members
but other members can also provide to articles in newsletters, when they join about the skills they
help. A financial record may include organising promotional events, possess. It is also helpful to gauge
monthly or annual income and contacting media outlets, their willingness to share their skills
expenditure, records of any funding engaging with the community and knowledge with others as
received, a list of assets, and where some may not want to take on
f F unding- searching for any responsibility.
you have financial reserves or funding opportunities, writing
a deficit. The amount of information applications, organising Some Sheds may choose to take
you are required to offer can depend fundraising activities, coming a more formal route and draw
on how much income your Shed up with ideas to generate other up rotas, workshop manuals and
receives and who is asking for the income (see funding sections in introduce training schedules.
information. For more information on Part 1 and 2). This can work well to keep track
financial reporting, visit the national of who has been trained on
voluntary organisation support These tasks may fall to committee particular machinery. An example
webpages listed in the resources members, however, finding others of a type of training checklist
section at the back of the toolkit. who are willing to help out can be is shown that could be used.
important to ease the workload. There is no one way to organise
Core administration tasks The sharing of tasks can also be training and knowledge sharing,
There are core administration tasks important to promote group it is simply about what works best
that may also require attention when responsibility, and can also provide for your Shed.
Name Machinery Date completed Training Training given by Signed
John Sander 28th October 2020 Mike
3D printing machine
Dave 30th September 2020 Jim
Blow Torch
Graham 14th July 2020 Mike
Jeremy Sander 28th October 2020 Mike
25Part:2 SUSTAINING YOUR MEN’S SHED 26 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of Sheds
SUSTAINING YOUR MEN’S SHED 1. Getting ready and organised
Once your Men’s Shed is open and fully
– Make sure you have a constitution
operational, there are still tasks that
with clear aims and objectives
will require regular attention to make
and consider obtaining charitable
your Shed sustainable. The following
status for more credibility.
section provides advice on how to
‘future-proof’ your Shed to ensure its – Get your finances in order
survival. Some parts of this section including setting up a bank
will be more relevant to your journey account, producing regular
than others. Not of all the listed steps financial statements (showing cash
are mandatory, so feel free to skip flow, balances, budgeting, deficits,
any parts that aren’t relevant to you. reserves), and producing annual
However, it is useful to consider each account reports.
piece of information to make your – Identify who in your Shed has the
Shed more sustainable. knowledge or skills to put together
a good funding application,
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY and where you may need training
Financial sustainability can be key to or external support.
ensuring the future longevity of your
Men’s Shed. A healthy bank balance – Gather as much evidence as
will ensure that: possible of the impact that your
Shed has on individuals and the
f T here are enough funds to cover all community. This could include
major outgoings (such as rent and letters of support, newspaper
bills) for a substantial period articles, testimonials or
of time awards received.
f T here is enough left over to
pay for unexpected eventualities
(e.g. machinery breakdown,
a broken boiler).
To ensure financial sustainability you
will likely need a variety of income
streams instead of relying on one
source. There are 3 main sources
of funding for Sheds to consider;
grant funding, fundraising/donations,
and income generation.
Grant funding
There are a number of steps involved
in sourcing and applying for grant
funding. This section will talk you
through each of them:
272. Sourcing the funds
There tends to be four main sources of grant funding that are available to Men’s Sheds; lotteries, trusts and foundations,
government funding and local authority funding.
It is important to remember that funders and funding pots can be very different sizes, some may be small and local, and
some may be some large and national. The table below gives some examples of the four main sources of grant funding
available to your Shed:
Source Examples Where to find information
Lotteries National Lottery Community Fund, Check the ‘funding’ section of each Lottery
People’s Postcode Lottery, webpage or contact them via phone or email
Heritage Lottery Fund, Health Lottery,
Irish National Lottery
Trusts and Private/individual family trusts Refer to national funding databases, some
Foundations (e.g. The Robertson Trust), corporate examples are:
trusts, governmental trusts (e.g. The
Voluntary Action Fund), community trusts, – www.fundingcentral.org.uk
supermarket foundations (e.g. ASDA – www.fundsonline.org.uk
Foundation), bank foundations (e.g. Lloyds – www.wheel.ie/funding
Bank Foundation)
Check supermarket foundation/trust
webpages, or contact them via phone
or email
Check bank foundation/trust webpages,
or contact them via phone or email
Government Community regeneration projects, Check UK, Scottish, Welsh, NI or Ireland
Funding people and communities projects, Government funding opportunity webpages
environmental projects (e.g. community funding)
Local Authority Community development funds, service Check local authority bulletins online.
Funding level agreements, local budgeting Contact your local authority by phone or
(e.g. councils, email for up to date information and to be
health services) added to mailing lists
Always be aware that there are two
distinct types of funding offered Project funding: for a project or activity that has clear deadlines
by funders: and specifications from the funder. For example, funding that is
only available for the purchase of poly-tunnels to help Sheds grow
vegetables for their community.
Core funding: to cover the core cost of what you specify in your
application (e.g. rent, equipment). This is often a fixed amount that
must be spent within a given time frame.
28 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsThe type of funding you apply for will objectives, charity number/ legal the money will be allocated
depend on exactly what you need status, years in operation, number (e.g. equipment, contractors)
the money for. It can be very easy to of members)
f A
statement about how you
think ‘any money is good money’
f A
detailed description of what intend to financially sustain
but this may not always be the case
the money will be used for, your organisation in the
if there are restrictions to what you
including a statement about long-term (funders want to
can do with it.
what the funds will address and see that you have the ability
3. Applying for funds what might happen if you didn’t to make yourselves financially
get the funds, and who the sustainable so you are not
Before you apply for any type of beneficiaries are purely reliant on grant funding).
funds it is vital that you do your This may also include being
research. This includes finding out f A
statement of how you
transparent about reserved and
about funders’ objectives, application might monitor and evaluate
unreserved funds you already
deadlines, eligibility criteria, the effectiveness of the funds
have in your bank account
who they might have previously and if a need has been met
funded, and their application form (e.g. keeping a numerical record f A
dditional support documents
process. A typical application form of the amount of members which may include letters of
will ask for the following information: who have benefited, recording support from your community,
individual’s stories/testimonies, newspaper articles about your
using a feedback survey) Shed, testimonials, and proof of
f The title or goal of your project
awards received.
f A
detailed breakdown of the
f A
short introduction to your
costs of the project and where
organisation (e.g. aims and
294. The outcome For more information about grant f G
et a stall/table at community
funding for voluntary organisations events such as fairs and gala
Whether your application is please visit the national voluntary days and take a donations box
successful or not, it is good etiquette organisation support webpages listed
to keep in contact with the funder, f C
ontact local suppliers who may
in the resources section at the back of
especially if you might apply for more be willing to donate materials
the toolkit.
money again in the future. They can such as wood or paint
provide useful feedback and tips. Fundraising/ Donations f U
se leaflets and social media to
As an organisation doing positive advertise for tool donations
things in your community you may
Successful application? be surprised at how many people f G
et in touch with your local
and/or businesses are willing to help. newspaper to promote your
✓ Thank the funder through Here are a few ideas for ways to raise activities and request donations.
a letter, email or phone call funds or gather materials through
from the committee donations: It is always useful to contact or visit
✓ Make sure that the funder is other Men’s Sheds or community
acknowledged and recognised f H
ost fundraising events in groups in different areas to see
correctly (e.g. displaying your community (e.g. coffee what fundraising activities they are
their logo on website and morning, quiz) doing and get some inspiration.
letterhead) f S et up a direct online donations Think outside the box, sometimes
page (to fund a single project crazy ideas can generate the
✓ Keep the funder up to date
or ongoing activity) most interest!
with your activities
✓ Adhere to any formal
requirements for reports
or monitoring.
Unsuccessful application?
✗ Don’t be disheartened,
funding applications can be
very competitive
✗ Get feedback on your
application to find out where
you went wrong
✗ Find out whether it is worth
applying again and when you
are permitted to re-apply
✗ ‘Recycle’ your application form
wording to further develop it
and use on future applications
✗ Keep applying to other funders.
If you are successful in your
application, you will likely be
expected to keep in touch with
the funder to evaluate the success
of the project and provide evidence
of your spending.
30 Men’s Sheds A Toolkit for Development and Sustainability of ShedsIncome generation f R
enting out space in your Shed to For more information on this, please
Taking part in income generating other community groups visit your national charity regulator
activity may not be a key goal of your webpages listed in the resources
f Providing training, mentoring
Shed (e.g. producing items to sell section at the back of the toolkit.
or apprenticeship schemes
by donation) especially for retired
(seek advice from your local
members who may be keen to avoid
voluntary support service). If your Shed regularly takes part in
‘work’ like tasks. However, it can be
trading activity, it might also be
a quick and easy option for raising If you are a charity you are able to worth thinking about becoming
funds for the pot. Here are some trade if the activity is in the pursuit a ‘social enterprise’. For further
ideas for income generation: of the primary purpose or aims of information visit Social Enterprise UK
f C
harging members single, your organisation (for example at: www.socialenterprise.org.uk
monthly or annual fees (even as selling products made by Shedders), or the Irish Social Enterprise Network
little as £1/ 1 Euro to cover tea and profit is reinvested back into at: www.socent.ie
and coffee) the organisation. In addition to
generating money, it can also be
f P
roducing items to sell by rewarding to see that the outputs
donation at local events or online of your work are wanted by your
(e.g. fairs, markets, Gumtree) community. As most Sheds are not
f P
roducing or restoring items VAT registered, products could be
for your local community (e.g. made for a suggested donation,
planters or benches for schools). rather than a ‘sale’.
See Box 3 for more inspiration
Box 3: Things you could make,
sell or donate
f G
arden items: benches, tables, planters,
bird feeders, bee hives, sheds, storage.
f I tems for schools/ nurseries: sandpits,
mud kitchens, activity tables, buddy benches,
doll houses, wooden toys
f H
omeware and furniture: clocks, bowls,
kitchen utensils, sculptures/ornaments,
coffee tables, dining chairs
f T hings that could be fixed- up/renovated:
bikes, cars, model railways, computers.
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