A popular men’s shed in Aberdeen may be forced to close as members face difficulties finding a permanent base.
The Press and Journal were invited along to attend a meeting of Bucksburn Men’s Shed to meet the group and hear about their predicament.
It was set up in July last year by Richie Stewart, 36, who was struggling with his mental health at the time.
“There are a lot of guys out there that need the support,” he told us.
“They either don’t get it or they’re a wee bit scared to come forward and ask for it.
“We’ve found ourselves helping people from all over.”
The group currently has eight member who meet in a children’s room at the Sport Aberdeen-run Beacon Centre in Bucksburn.
Though they also have access to a garage, they are limited in what they can do.
Mr Stewart is grateful for the organisation’s support, but it is only a temporary home for the men’s shed and he is unsure what comes next.
Men’s shed ‘begging’ for new home
“Sport Aberdeen has been pretty good with us and the staff in the centre have been brilliant,” he said.
“Ideally, though, we would have our own area where we’re not sharing it with the children.
“From time to time we come in and the cleaner’s haven’t been in yet, or there’s pant on the seats, or some damage to our pool table cover.
“Those are all little things, but they do mount up, especially when we’re a mental health charity.
“When it comes to finding a new home, we don’t have deep pockets.
“The reality is we are basically begging for everything at the moment, including a building.”
Mr Stewart believes Aberdeen City Council could be doing more to help them find a permanent home, especially as they are there to “help people and the community”.
Here are some of the community initiatives they have been involved in:
- Community tidy ups
- Cutting back holly and wild roses at Brimmond School
- Cutting bushes
- Building bird boxes for P&J Live
- Helping Brimmond School turn sleeper beds into sand pits and making them a tombola for raffles
- Visiting local Brownie groups to help with projects
Plans aplenty for men’s shed
And Mr Stewart and the group have plans to do even more.
He said: “I’m planning on using my free time to go around Bucksburn and clear all the small paths and payments that the council don’t seem to get to or they don’t have time to get to.
“We’ve got a lot of older people in Bucksburn and some of them don’t get out for two, three weeks at a time as a result of this.”
Bucksburn Men’s Shed also plan to start repairing bikes for Bucksburn Academy’s additional support needs (ASN) department.
They hope the students will also join them for a training course.
What facilities are available to the group?
At the moment, the men’s shed makes use of a garage at the back of the Beacon Centre.
It is owned by NYOP Education as part of the council’s “3Rs” school building project.
But Mr Stewart says: “There just aren’t enough power sockets in that garage.
“A men’s shed will need power for tools, for charging tools and for running other stuff and we can’t do any of it.”
Bucksburn Men’s Shed is looking to the future
Going forwards, the members have plans for their own vegetable garden – and hopes of Sunday opening – but first they just need a place of their own.
“As long as we can get somewhere where we can set up a permanent workshop and a room where we can have the pool table set up, a couple of chairs and a wee kitchen area for making teas and coffees, then we’re happy with that,” Mr Stewart said.
Supported by various businesses, including Apex Services, Evolution Fitness, Jewson, PD&MS, Pembra, P&J Live and Red Wing, he is open to moving into a private premises.
“That would be great, as long as we could get a peppercorn rent.
“We would be unable to afford high monthly payments as we only generate about £30-£40 per month.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “We have had previous communication with the group on moving into a permanent home, however we have not heard anything more.
“All requests from community groups are welcomed and encouraged.”
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