Tag: Scottish Mens Sheds Association

Men’s Sheds to pop up in Scotmid stores during Men’s Health Week!

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has teamed up with Scotmid, for Men’s Health Week (13th – 19th June 2022).

The leading community retailer invited Shedders into their stores to help raise awareness of Men’s Sheds at a community level and to broaden awareness of the wealth of benefits Sheds bring to men’s overall health and wellbeing.

In the UK, men aged 40-49 have the highest rates of suicide*. The Men’s Shed aims to encourage men to have open and honest conversations around mental health, to help tackle loneliness and wider challenges they face and feel unable to talk about.

Carluke Men’s Shed popped up in Scotmid’s Law store and recruited three new members before lunch! Shedders were on hand to chat to customers and answer any questions they had about the charity and the products they produce.

Shirley MacGillivray, Head of Communities and Membership at Scotmid, said: “We are delighted to team up with the SMSA to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds during this important week.

“We recognise the part we can play to improve the health and wellbeing of our employees and the communities that we serve, and this is the perfect way to mark and support Men’s Health Week in our Scottish stores.”

Scotmid has previously been a SMSA award sponsor, supports many sheds across Scotland and welcomes Community Grant applications from individual Sheds.


Jason Schroeder, SMSA Chief Executive Officer, said: “The SMSA is working in partnership with Scotmid to offer this excellent opportunity for Sheds to showcase the services and facilities that they have to offer men aged 18 and over.

“It’s important that we encourage men to get together within their local community and connect with each other.  After all, conversation is hugely important for our health and wellbeing.”

The SMSA now has over 129 sheds open across Scotland, with 72 further sheds proposed or in development.

One of the charity’s core objectives is to put an emphasis on how important it is for men to connect with their local community.

Men’s Sheds receive life-saving kit through charity partnership

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has partnered up with Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider, St Andrew’s First Aid, to provide free Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds.

The SMSA put a call out to the 190+ Men’s Sheds across Scotland inviting them to apply for the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and received 44 applications showing a huge demand for this vital equipment (retailed at just over £1,500) to be located at Shed premises across Scotland.

The ten recipients will use the equipment to not only protect their members but – with the addition of an outdoor cabinet purchased by the Shed – will also make them accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes 7 million people a year worldwide with no warning and no pattern. There’s little time to react and even less time to think, this means an AED must be close at hand, easy-to-use and ready to shock.

Chris Jowsey, Treasurer of Glenkens Men’s Shed, said: “One of our members had a cardiac arrest whilst at the Shed and sadly passed away despite the prompt actions of his fellow Shedders to get medical assistance. We can’t help but wonder if we’d had a defibrillator that day, if the outcome might have been different.  

“We are delighted to have received this defibrillator through the SMSA and St Andrews First Aid and to be able to make it accessible to our entire community.”

Tom Bennett of Springburn Park Men’s Shed (above) said: “We have been trying to raise funds for a defibrillator for over two years for our Shed located within a public park in our village.

“We are thrilled to accept and maintain this defibrillator and make it accessible to our members, other community groups, park users and the general public.”

Jim Dorman, Director of Campaigns and Public Engagement at St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Knowing that these vital pieces of equipment will be available to both members of the ten Sheds and to the wider communities will hopefully bring considerable peace of mind.

“With every minute that passes following a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops by 10%. Swift use of a defibrillator is all the difference needed to significantly increase a person’s chance of survival. We are delighted to donate these defibrillators to help more communities save lives.”    

The successful Men’s Sheds across Scotland are: Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed; Forfar and District Men’s Shed; Glenkens Men’s Shed; Inverurie & District Men’s Shed; Macmerry Men’s Shed; Mens Shed Dumfries; Pentlands Men’s Shed; Peterhead & District Men’s Shed; Springburn Park Men’s Shed; and Whale Firth Men’s Shed.


There is still time to apply for the prestigious ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2021 from the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA).
2021 Timeline:

Deadline for applications:                                       
Midnight on Sunday 26th September 2021

Shortlist announced and open to public vote:     
Monday 4th October 2021

Closed to public vote:                                                 
Midnight on Sunday 17th October 2021

Winner announced at SMSA AGM/Awards event:          
Thursday 4th November 2021 
  

Ten FREE defibrillators up for grabs for Scottish Men’s Sheds

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is working in partnership with St Andrew’s First Aid to offer FREE Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes 7 million people a year worldwide with no warning and no pattern. There’s little time to react and even less time to think, this means an AED must be close at hand, easy-to-use and ready to shock.

St Andrew’s First Aid is Scotland’s dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider and the Association is delighted to be teaming up to provide this life-saving kit to Sheds to not only protect Shedders but also the wider community. 

The HeartSine Samaritan PAD 500P Fully Automatic Defibrillator (RRP: £1,557.60 inc. VAT)

  • Ready to Shock: Small, portable and lightweight (2.4 lbs) and offers the highest level of protection against dust and water.
  • Easy-to-Follow Instructions: Easy-to-understand visual and voice prompts guide the rescuer through the entire resuscitation process, including CPR—a key link in the chain of survival. 
  • Simple, two-button operation – an ON/OFF button and SHOCK.
  • After analyzing heart rhythm, the unit will automatically deliver a shock (if needed), eliminating the need for the rescuer to push a shock button.
  • Always Ready: A System Status Ready Indicator flashes to show that the complete system is operational and ready for use.
  • Self-check: The device automatically runs a self-check each week.
  • View full product info here

Conditions

  • The AED’s are being offered FREE OF CHARGE to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds however, as they are not new, they will require new pads/electrode batteries (which will last for four years) at a cost to each individual Shed of £117.60.  
  • St Andrews First Aid advise that these defibrillators are accessible to the public 24/7 outdoors and are placed in cabinets (available at a discounted cost of £540 inc.VAT for Sheds through St Andrew’s First Aid), however, if this is not possible, they are still happy to donate them to Scottish Sheds.
  • Interested Sheds will pay a delivery charge for the equipment.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

Please register your Men’s Shed’s interest by submitting your details online at the link below.  Defibrillators will be issued to ten SMSA Shed members on a first-come, first-served basis.