Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz visits 2024 Civic Award-winning Men in Sheds project in support of Mental Health Awareness week (12-18th May).
Newham spotlights the Civic Award-Winning Men in Shed’s project aiming to combat loneliness and isolation through chatting, making, and mending
May 12-18th marks Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England (Mental health facts and statistics - Mind) and social isolation can be a driving factor in deteriorating mental health.
Here in Newham, our Be Connected Campaign aims to bring together residents who may be experiencing feelings of loneliness. Our community-led projects such as: Chatty Cafes, Chatty Benches, and Men in Sheds are creating spaces for residents to socialise, create, and give back to the community.
At Newham’s 2024 Civic Awards, Men in Sheds were awarded the Well Newham Award for their contribution towards improving the health and welfare of the people of Newham. Men in Sheds are community spaces for men to come together to chat and create. Today, Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz visited the volunteer team behind Men in Sheds to experience what residents can get involved with.
Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, said:
“This week was Mental Health Awareness Week, and it was a pleasure to get out to meet with the team behind the Men in Sheds project. Men in Sheds is a testament to the lively and buzzing community spirit Newham has to offer.
“We all understand the impact that loneliness and isolation can have on our mental health, especially for our older residents. Men in Sheds create vital spaces for men to get together and connect. It’s projects like these that demonstrate how creating social spaces and reconnecting communities is key to tackling isolation.
“This week is a timely reminder to check in with one another and get involved in the amazing work happening in our communities.”
Men in Sheds runs every Tuesday between 12:00 – 16:00 at the Breaking Grounds Shed at Chargeable Lane Resource Centre. Hobbyists, DIY-ers, and novices looking to learn, are all welcome to get involved.
Dave, Chair of Men in Sheds, said:
“I worked as a prison officer, working 14-16 hours a day and had to retire for medical reasons. You get used to working all day and then you go from that to nothing, without realising it you become depressed.
“Men in Sheds was a life saver for me, and I’ve been here since its birth, its open so many doors for me. I’ve met a lot of new people and made some great friends. We are officially open on Tuesdays, but me and Terry are here every day, having a laugh, sharing our highs, and our low moments.”
If you’re looking to set up a new Men in Sheds project, please contact: CNLW@newham.gov.uk.
We want to hear from you about how we can shape our 2025-2035 mental health strategy. Please follow the link to our survey here: Project: Mental Health Strategy Consultation |. It only takes five minutes to complete and if you’d like to stay involved in developing the strategy, you can leave your contact details at the end of the survey.
