'Women are better at chatting than men'

A community workshop where men in Suffolk can "get together and chew the fat" is celebrating a milestone anniversary this summer.

The Halesworth Men's Shed was launched 10 years ago, giving men in the area a place to socialise, build relationships and take part in activities.

The group has since grown in popularity and now boasts 50 members who regularly head to the Norwich Road hub for a sense of camaraderie.

One of those members is Vic Hopkins, who said his newfound band of brothers proved a huge pillar of support for him when he battled cancer seven years ago.

He said: "There is a level of trust because you share things about health and your worries and you realise you are not on your own – it is very reassuring.

"The thing I liked about the group was the fact men could get together and just talk around the table with coffee.

"Men have not been good at it, but if you have somewhere where there is shared interest you get to trust and know each other. You look forward to seeing each other.

"Women are better than men at having coffee and chatting. But if you're a guy and have got time on your hands, come and see us – we'll make you feel very welcome."

The shed materialised after Ian Cockburn was inspired by similar schemes that were being explored in Australia and making their way on to UK shores.

He said: "We had a few meetings and then decided Halesworth needed [a men's shed].

"The next thing to do was to get a premises, as we used to meet in a sports bar and talk about what we were going to do.

"When we took over [our current site] it was totally full of old brown furniture and televisions.

"We had to clear it all out and then we refurbished it all to what it is now."

The site in Halesworth aims to accommodate men with all sorts of interests, providing them with equipment for the likes of woodwork, metalwork and more.

And, of course, an endless supply of cups of tea and coffee, over which new friends can be made and worries can be shared.

Member Colin Turner added: "You can virtually do what you like – or we can chew the fat and take the mickey out of everybody else."

The Halesworth Men's Shed is open 10:00-14:00 BST on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 10:00-12:00 BST on Saturdays.

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