Men’s project give financial boost to help shed initiative

Men’s project give financial boost to help shed initiative

22 August 2012

A PROJECT to boost the health and self-esteem of older men in the Downpatrick area has been awarded a major grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

Action Mental Health has been awarded a grant of £380,823 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Out: Connecting Older People programme which supports older people affected by issues such as bereavement, disability or long term illness or who live in residential care or sheltered housing.

The organisation will use its grant to establish Men’s Sheds projects in Downpatrick, Antrim and Enniskillen that will target hard to reach and at risk men who are socially isolated due to bereavement, retirement, or who live alone or in institutional care.

The project will be planned and managed by the men themselves and will tackle low self-esteem and decreased motivation. Shed activities will include physical and mental health monitoring, practical tasks such as machinery and bicycle repair, woodworking, computer work, local history projects, volunteering, and projects with young people.

Action Mental Health will work in partnership with Age NI, Volunteer Now and local Health and Social Care Trusts.

“The ethos of Men’s Sheds is about supporting men’s health from the point of view that men do not generally engage with health services. A lot of older men live on their own due to life circumstances and don’t have the same networks anymore,” said Gavin McConvey, fundraising manager with Action Mental Health.

“Men of a certain age tend to spend time in their sheds or green houses at the bottom of the garden. We are creating bigger sheds where men can come together to reduce isolation.

“We will be fostering positive mental health, improving the well-being of the individual, reducing their isolation and increasing their self worth,” added Gavin.

Downpatrick man, Terry Murphy, suffered from severe depression after a heart attack in 2004. “I went to Action Mental Health hesitantly at first but when I realised there were other people suffering from the same condition I felt more relaxed and realised I was not the only one,” he said.

With the support of Action Mental Health he has enjoyed a wide variety of activities ranging from wickerwork to calligraphy, and has also gained a computing qualification.

“Men don’t talk face to face about their feelings and emotions, they tend to talk shoulder to shoulder,” said Terry. They don’t really ask for help when they have problems, and this can result in some men drinking more, or suffering from isolation even though they might be married and have a family. This can lead to a downward spiral of inner loneliness and mental illness.

“Men’s Sheds will give men a safe and busy environment to try new things and make new friends. I really hope to be involved.”