By Mal Butler
The new headquarters of Shanklin Men in Sheds was opened last week, after six months of hard graft.
The Shanklin Men in Sheds, part of a national movement started to tackle isolation in men over the age of 60, lost its previous base at the YMCA Winchester House in June last year, after the building was closed.
However, they were offered a lifeline by the Lions’ Community Centre, Lake, who have given them part of their property to build a new shed and encourage retired men to get together to work on projects, drink tea, and generally get out of the house.
The group was originally set-up in 2017, and secretary, Steve Print, explained: “Our members have done most of the work themselves. Initially, we had to start from scratch and get in diggers to clear and flatten a bank so we were able to put down our base.
“After that, we built the shed and did the plumbing, wiring, water, and sewage. A lot of us are ex-Forces, but we had to get in tradespeople to sign off on all the regulations.
“It was a lot of hard work but, because of our training, we have worked as a team all our lives. So if eight of us turn up for an hour, then, between us, we have done a full day’s work in a short space of time.
“We do lots in the community, and we are currently helping out with fencing at the Sandown canoe lake. We have 24 members now, and meet between 10am-noon every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and new members are always welcome.
“The Lions’ Centre is a community hub, and there is lots of other stuff going on throughout the week. So anyone who wants to look after their mental health and well-being can come along and meet new people. It’s a chance to interact and try different things.”
Isle of Wight Observer