Edition 15| July 2020 The SMSA’s Scottish ‘Shed of the WHAT’S INSIDE? Year’ Awards 2020 are now open! 2 TALKING SHEDS 3 SMSA NEWS Scottish Men's Sheds are invited to apply for this 5 SMSA ‘SHED OF THE YEAR’ prestigious award. Could your Shed be crowned the AWARDS 2020 PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE winner? Apply by Sunday 30th August 2020! 7 GROUPS 8 SHED IN THE SPOTLIGHT See page 5 for more information! 9 SHED LIFE #scottishshedoftheyear2020 16 LETTERS TO EDITOR 18 A PERSONAL STORY What do you think of The Scottish Shedder? 19 SHED PROJECTS 23 SHED QUIZ SMSA is interested to gauge your thoughts on The Scottish 24 HEALTH MATTERS Shedder newsletter. We would like to find out what WHAT’S COOKING? Scottish Shedders and supporters really think of the 24 publication and if you have any ideas for new content. 25 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 26 SHED NETWORK MEETINGS The survey—consisting of ten questions— should take no longer than a few minutes to complete. THE SCOTTISH SHEDDER The Scottish Shedder promotes Your opinion is extremely important to us. Please click on news from the Men’s Sheds around the link below to access the online survey: Scotland to showcase their successes in addition to promoting relevant events, funding opportunities, DIY projects, recipes and much more. www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ScottishShedderFeedback Each issue is sent digitally to over 2,300 Individual Member subscribers. We want to hear all about your Shed, ✓ ? its latest developments and exciting projects and are therefore asking for your contributions for the next issue by Friday 28th August 2020. We urge you to maximise the potential to raise the profile of your Shed and the Men’s Sheds Movement in Scotland. Email: [email protected] Issue 15—July 2020 www.scottishmsa.org.uk DATE FOR TALKING SHEDS don’t want this level of connection YOUR DIARY through digital technology and, for by Jason Schroeder whatever their reasons, one needs to SMSA VIRTUAL AGM respect that. AND ‘SHED OF THE YEAR’ AWARDS However for others, it is an opportunity for them to get a smart WED 16TH SEPT 2020 phone, tablet etc. and get digitally comfortable and confident with REGISTER HERE Greetings from behind the virtual either WhatsApp or Zoom—which curtain of the new SMSA Shed Zoom seems to be the two main social room. It has been great seeing technologies Sheds are using very many of your faces and hearing your successfully—to stay connected. voices, across Scotland, over these The second SMSA ‘Shed of the Year’ past weeks to find out what has been If a second lockdown does happen in Awards have now been launched happening in your Shed the coming months then now is the (see page 5) and will have a different communities. Tim Green’s column time to support these people to get voting system this year so look out (page 26) explains some of our and stay connected. Please do speak for that in your inbox and get your findings to date. to the many digital champions in Shed into the running to win this your local Councils, family, friends coveted title. I am looking forward to doing the last and Shedder community. few of these catch ups in August So much good continues to express before we hold a national SMSA Does your Shed have Digital itself in a myriad of creative ways Zoom meeting online to share all our Champions? through the Scottish Men’s Sheds findings; the latest Shed guidance Movement, during this difficult from the Scottish Government; Maybe a few Shedders in each Shed period, and we are busy as ever what’s happening in other countries can take on this mantle and help supporting that to keep it happening. with Sheds; the future reopening of their fellow mates over a cuppa? It Well done everyone, more power to Scottish Men’s Sheds and hear your really is making a massive difference your elbows while keeping safe in thoughts on it all. in people’s quality of life while the helping each other and your Sheds remain closed. So I urge you to communities. Right now in Scotland, we have a make some plans now to move possible window period to support forward with this. I hope to see more of you soon in our members who are not connected upcoming Social Zoom Room (taking digitally whilst we can currently visit This year, SMSA will hold its AGM place every Thursday) for a right old them at their homes. online on Wednesday 16th blether from September. To access September 2020 and we hope to see this you need to be an SMSA One of the main findings of our you on Zoom. Click here to register Individual Member (if you are not network meetings is how some Sheds today. We also urge you to take a already a member, click here to join struggled to stay connected with look at OSCR’s AGM guidance on for FREE) so you can log in and gain members due to a lack of or out of what you will need to do for your access to the SMSA Zoom room at date contact details. We have also Shed’s AGM. specific times. Stay well and safe. heard that some Shed members just Are your members NOT Zooming? Is there anything stopping your members from staying connected online? The pandemic has accelerated the use of online communication platforms to stay connected globally. Shedders, far and wide, have been using technology like Zoom and WhatsApp to regularly ‘meet’, chat and learn—are some of your members missing out? Perceptions may be Support your members I don’t have a computer or mobile ☺ Is there a ‘Digital Champion’ at your Shed who It is not safe/secure could assist members? I don’t know what to do ☺ Can you provide equipment or access funding for I don’t know what to say equipment? I just don’t like that kind of thing ☺ Encourage them to try it out first with family/ I don’t like my face on camera friends to increase confidence I won’t get my point across ☺ Implement a ‘Chair’ and rules/code of conduct Encourage your members to give it a try? They might just like it! Issue 15—July 2020 2 www.scottishmsa.org.uk SMSA NEWS renew your membership please • discounts from insurance SMSA Shed Membership notify your bank to reflect the date partner, Greenwood Moreland Change change (1st April) • the cheapest electricity for Sheds • existing memberships paid after through business partner, Citrus SMSA has announced a change to its the 1st April 2020 can request a Energy Ltd annual Shed Membership scheme refund (due to Covid-19 and the • a 5% discount from Axminster tools structure. closure of Sheds) if that helps with and machinery your cash flow. Contact • discounted health & safety training SMSA Shed Members currently SMSA's Executive Officer, Jason through David Young Training renew their membership on the Schroeder, (with 'Covid-19 Refund' • a pathway to apply to the Scottish anniversary of the date that they in the subject line) Community Alliance Learning joined however, SMSA has made the • new members will reap the full Exchange grant programme for decision to shift its membership year benefits of membership and will accommodation/travel costs to visit to align with the financial year in pay their first annual subscription and share ideas and learn from order to better streamline the on the 1st April 2021 other Men’s Sheds across the administration of the charity. With • from the next renewal date (1st country immediate effect, the subscription April 2021), Shed membership will • online access to the Australian year will now run from the 1st April increase slightly from £20 to £25 Men’s Sheds to 31st March. per year - for the first time in five Association’s Interactive Shed years - to cover the increased Manual - the quintessential guide How will this affect Shed production and postage costs of for developing and operational membership? the Shed Membership packs Men’s Sheds • existing SMSA Shed Members will be invoiced annually with the next What does your Shed get? For more information on joining the single renewal date being the 1st Scottish Men’s Sheds can join and SMSA, please click here. April 2021 receive an array of exclusive • if you have a direct debit in place to membership benefits including: SMSA Board Changes leadership over the years and more adapted to the challenge of meeting recently through the Covid-19 crisis virtually to stay connected during The SMSA is announcing a number of to navigate unprecedented this time and the post pandemic era changes to its Board of Trustees. challenges and adapt to new ways to will bring a whole new way of support Sheds. thinking for the Board. Now as Chairman Derek Keiller has stepped lockdown eases, the SMSA Trustees down after four years on the Board – “All of our Trustees are Shedders, face new challenges and two as Chairman – and has handed first and foremost, and understand opportunities- especially around the over the reins to David Gardner, Vice the importance and impact of Men’s safe reopening of Sheds in Scotland. -Chairman of the Garnock Valley Sheds. Post Covid-19, there is going SMSA is following Scottish Men’s Shed. to be an upturn in the demand for Government guidance and a our services and I am honoured to publication in regard to the Derek, a member and former- take on this active role, regionally reopening of Men’s Sheds will follow Chairman of Carse of Gowrie & and nationally, to continue to shortly.” District Men's Shed, said: “I am support the SMSA team to grow the stepping down from my role as Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement.” The role of the Board – now Chairman to concentrate on my consisting of six members- is to advertising business and have more Further changes to the Board include develop strategies that ensure the time with family and friends and my Trustee Professor Chris Oliver taking charity is effective, robust and local Shed.