The official start of work on a building project to provide a new base for the Northern Men In Sheds group was marked at a ceremony on Friday September 9th. Minister for Health and Social Care, Hon Howard Quayle MHK, dug the first piece of turf at the site in the grounds of Ramsey Cottage Hospital. Other VIP guests included representatives from Isle of Man Government, Ramsey Cottage Hospital, Northern Live At Home scheme – and Northern Men In Sheds group members.

The new building will be opened next year and become the new home for Northern Men In Sheds which is a social group providing men aged 55 and over with an opportunity to meet and use a workshop for creative projects involving metalwork, carpentry, and other skills. The group was set up in 2014 and is currently based in Ramsey Cottage Hospital and run by Isle of Man Live At Home Schemes which is a local branch of the UK-based MHA charity.

Frank Pattison, a Trustee of Isle of Man Live at Home Schemes, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Minister and all of the guests who attended the official ceremony to mark the start of this exciting project. We must also express our gratitude to MHA for supporting the project – and to the Department of Health and Social Care for providing a site which is the perfect location for the new building.”

The Men in Sheds concept began in Australia in the 1990s as a way of addressing the issue of social isolation among retired men. The idea spread to the UK where there are now more than 200 ‘Sheds’, and more recently to the Isle of Man. Each ‘Shed’ is a standalone group in the sense that it represents the local community and meets the specific needs of its own members.

Frank Pattison added: “Social isolation and loneliness amongst older people is a real and growing problem, and there is evidence that this can have a serious impact on the health of those who find themselves in this position, with the consequent impact on health services. We know from the evidence forthcoming from ‘Sheds’ groups elsewhere that Men In Sheds has a very positive impact. If we can proactively address these issues, and provide preventative measures, the impact on the individual can be substantial and the cost to the health services reduced.”

There are approximately 700 older people who are members of the five Isle of Man Live At Home schemes (including the Northern Men In Sheds group) which are run by a team of 12 MHA staff and around 500 volunteers. To find out more about Isle of Man Live At Home schemes go to www.mha.org.uk 

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