Government urged to rethink men’s shed funding cut

A cross party initiative calling on the Scottish Government to rethink its proposed cut to support for the Men’s Shed movement in Scotland has been led by Orkney’s MSP.

Last month, the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, announced plans to reverse a commitment to provide funding to the Scottish Men’s Shed Association, which has supported the establishment and development of men’s sheds across Scotland since 2014. The decision has promoted more than 3,600 people to sign a public petition calling for a rethink.

Following his efforts to raise the issue in parliament last month, Liam McArthur has now brought together MSPs from across the party spectrum in a united show of support for the men’s shed movement in Scotland. The letter signed by 40 MSPs has warned that the proposed cut could put “unsupported pressure on thousands of volunteers” and lead to the “collapse of this national treasure.”

Orkney’s MSP has been a long-standing supporter of Men’s Sheds, including the Orkney Men’s Shed which was first opened in 2016. More recently, he has also been closely involved in supporting the establishment of a Men’s Shed in Sanday and was delighted to see similar plans emerging in relation to Westray.

Over the years, Mr McArthur has taken part in debates and lodged motions highlighting the movement’s proven track record around the world in improving mental health amongst men. The sheds in Orkney join more than 200 other sheds across the country that support around 10,000 men aged over 18 to develop new hobbies and skills, while helping tackle social isolation.

Commenting, Mr McArthur said: “I know from the experience in Orkney how rewarding it has been in providing men a place to gather, work and relax. Indeed, as it has been demonstrated across the world, these facilities can make a tangible difference in efforts to tackle loneliness, social isolation and mental ill health.

“It is therefore difficult to understand why Scottish Ministers are planning to withdraw funding to the men’s sheds movement altogether. Against a backdrop of soaring demand for mental health services, now more than ever we need to redouble our commitment to this invaluable public health movement.

“The Men’s Shed movement has long enjoyed strong cross-party support and I’m delighted to bring this together once again in a united message of support for the SMSA. Hopefully this will prompt the Scottish Government to rethink its proposed cut and continue providing the modest level of funding that helps do so much good in Orkney and communities across Scotland.”