Men's Shed expands with £260k lottery cash boost

A scheme that allows men to share skills and socialise is set to expand after securing new funding.

Humber and Wolds Rural Action said it had been awarded £260,689 of National Lottery funding over two years to support its Humber Men in Sheds Alliance.

The money would be used to establish new venues and support existing projects, officials said.

The Men's Shed initiative aims to bring people together to make, repair and repurpose, supporting projects in their local communities.

Men's Shed started in Australia during the 1990s, and has since spread to Canada, Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand, USA and Ireland.

There are now more than 1,100 Men's Shed groups all over the UK where people meet for some DIY, a coffee and a chinwag.

Jane Owen, chief executive of Humber and Wolds Rural Action, which covers Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, North and North East Lincolnshire, said the funding would allow the scheme to continue and to expand.

"Now more than ever, it's crucial to address loneliness. The sense of purpose sheds provide to individuals and their surrounding communities is vital," she added.

There are currently around 18 "sheds" across the area, including in Hull, Scunthorpe and Driffield.

Each "shed" is run by those who attend, who are collectively known as "shedders".

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