A group of people stand smiling outside a small brick building with a mossy roof. Two people hold a Swanleys Shed sign, celebrating one of the latest Shed Launches. Trees and a clear sky are in the background.
Swanley’s Mayor Cllr Lesley Dyball officially opened the Shed with the first users in attendance, and keen to get started.
Swanley’s Shed is based on the Men’s Shed concept.
The message is the same, aiming to create a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills and enjoy making and mending.
Kent County Council’s Community Warden Paul Sharrad helped set-up this local Shed, and his determination to see this through has turned a quick conversational idea into a reality.
To register your interest in joining please do email towncouncil@swanleytowncouncil.gov.uk and we will pass on your enquiry to the groups Chairperson.
Activities in Sheds vary greatly, but you can usually find woodworking, metalworking, repairing and restoring, electronics, model buildings or even car building in a typical Shed.
Sheds tend to attract older men, but many have younger members and women too.
The well-being benefit of using Sheds are proven in the many previous examples launched across the United Kingdom.
This is especially the case when it comes to men, remarking on this the Men’s Shed Association said “Men typically find it more difficult to build social connections than women, and unlike women of a similar age, less older men have networks of friends and rarely share personal concerns about health and personal worries.
It is not the case for all men, but for some, when retirement comes, it can feel like personal identity and purpose is lost.”
After opening the facility Cllr Lesley Dyball said “This is a great initiative and I could not be happier to open Swanley’s Shed today.
Those in attendance today have shared their excitement with me and I can see how much of a benefit this Shed will be to the community.”
