An Aberdeenshire group designed to give local men a place to socialise and develop their hobbies has been given a £10,000 boost.
The Inverurie Men’s Shed will now be able to develop a vital metalwork facility in its base, after being granted a sum of £10,875 thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
The men’s shed organisation has more than 70 members and is being established within a garage in the town’s Harlaw Road, which is currently being renovated.
It was obtained through a community asset transfer from Aberdeenshire Council.
There will also be a woodwork section located within the shed, equipment for which is being funded by a £9,947 grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All Scotland.
Archie Peebles, chairman of Inverurie Men’s Shed, said: “These awards will give us the means of providing for the core activity of the Men’s Shed.
“That is to enable our members to use woodwork and metalwork equipment, some of which they may have had easy access to during their working lives.
“It will also allow us to introduce other members to discover practical skills that they never knew they had.”
The Inverurie Men’s shed is one of several of the centres currently springing up across Aberdeenshire.
Men’s sheds are social and workshop spaces where locals can get together and work on DIY projects and socialise, with the aim of promoting mental and physical health and wellbeing.
Westhill was Scotland’s first, and its success has led to others being set up in towns such as Ellon and Portlethen.