The Men in Sheds Project in Port Erin is getting a bigger workplace, thanks to a grant from the Manx Lottery Trust.
 
Men in Sheds is run by Southern Community Initiatives and started in March 2010, based in a double garage and dedicated woodworking shed off Castletown Road. Since then, the workshop has become an important community asset, offering support to other charitable, voluntary, cultural and faith organisations.
 
The many projects undertaken by members of Men in Sheds have included making stage props for local dance and drama groups, repairing benches for Southlands Residential Home, signage for scout huts and churches, and recently a huge Easter egg for the Isle of Man Steam Railway.
 
Graham Hall, Chairman of Men in Sheds, said: ‘We are so grateful to Manx Lottery Trust for helping us with this project. The Shed extension will allow us to support more organisations, as well as taking on other individual projects, and it will also provide much-needed storage space.’
 
Shed Coordinator Les Shires explained: ‘We regularly have around 20 members in the Shed each day, most of them working on community projects. Members come from all walks of life for many reasons, including sharing and learning new skills, meeting like-minded people, or just to chat and have a cuppa.’
 
Work on the extension is underway, with the new facilities expected to be open by the end of September.
 
Lulu Gillow, Manx Lottery Trust Chair, added: ‘The Men in Sheds initiative is a perfect example of people coming together with the aim of helping themselves and to be able to help others. It has become an integral part of the community and does so much excellent work for so many different causes, and the extension will mean the team can help even more within the community. We are delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile project.’
 
To find out more about the work of the Manx Lottery Trust visit: www.mlt.org.im.
 
Photo - Members of Men in Sheds pictured at the plot for their extension, alongside Manx Lottery Trust Officer Trevor Butler (second left), MLT Trustee Sarah Kelly (fourth left), and Janet Bridle, Coordinator for Southern Community Initiatives’ The Hub (fourth right).