Ending the daily routine of working 9 to 5 is something many of us look forward to. Retirement can be an opportunity to do all the things we didn’t have time to do during our working life. But for some retirement brings a sense of isolation and can even lead to depression as they wonder how to fill the time which was once occupied by their working week. In Australia one way of tackling problems of isolation among retired men was to set up Men In Sheds groups. These groups provide a meeting place and access to workshop facilities which group members use for woodwork and metalwork projects. It has proved so successful that groups have sprung up all across Australia and the Men In Sheds idea has also proved popular in the UK. Last year the Isle of Man’s first Men In Sheds group was set up and received its first funding thanks to Manx Telecom’s It’s Our Community scheme which donated ?500 and a computer. The group is based in a double garage at Thie Rosien, the former Southlands care home site in Port Erin. Every week on Tuesdays and Fridays the group meet to organise projects and share access to the workshop facilities which can be used for craft projects or for group members to share their skills with others. It also provides a work space for those who don’t have sheds of their own. But most importantly it is a meeting place, somewhere to have a chat over a cup of tea and to socialise. Allan Phoenix, Secretary of the Port Erin Men In Sheds group, said: “The donation from Manx Telecom was crucial to Men In Sheds being set up as it was the first funding we received. We have now almost finished renovating the building and have around a dozen regular members who are working on a number of projects.” These projects range from work on the building to renovating a steam engine and building a radio controlled aeroplane. Allan moved to the Isle of Man after retiring from a career which included working as a manager at BT, lecturing in electrical engineering and his final post as the Principal Electrical Engineer at the National Tramways Museum in Derbyshire - other members of the group include retired accountants, engineers, a policeman, a harbourmaster and a weatherman, with ages ranging from mid-50s to one member who is 86. “The younger ones get all the jobs which require heavy lifting,” jokes Allan. “The basic criteria are that the group is open to retired or semi-retired men over 55 - but the age limit is flexible so we won’t turn someone away if they are just under the age limit. The best thing about the group is the camaraderie of everyone involved - we all get on well and just muck in with whatever needs doing. For some of the members joining the group has given them a new lease of life which has been remarked upon by their relatives.” Thanks to generous donations from the community, Men In Sheds now has a significant number of tools available for members to use. Allan says that the group hopes to be able to repay this generosity by working on community projects and the like once the group is sufficiently well established. Men In Sheds meets every Tuesday and Friday from 10am to 4pm. New members are welcome to just turn up. Alternatively, anyone interested in joining can contact Allan Phoenix by calling 835153 or by emailing allanphoenix@manx.net Applications Manx Telecom’s It’s Our Community scheme will open again in June. - ENDS -