In episode 249 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Charlie Bethel. Charlie is currently the CEO of the UK Men's Sheds Association (UKMSA). The concept of the Men’s Shed started in Australia in around 1999. It then spread to New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, Canada and, more recently, Europe and the USA. At time of recording, there are a total of 1180 Sheds across the UK. Men’s Sheds (or Sheds) are similar to garden sheds, in that they are a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills and enjoy making and mending. However, the difference is that garden sheds and their activities are often solitary in nature while Men’s Sheds are the opposite. These unique concepts are about social connections and friendship building, sharing skills and knowledge and a lot of laughter. Although labelled Sheds, they often aren’t sheds at all. They can be empty offices, portable cabin’s, warehouses, garages, and in at least one case, a disused mortuary. Some Sheds are purpose-built workshops, but they rarely start out that way. Many don’t have premises at all in the beginning and instead form a group that meets regularly for the social connection, company and camaraderie. Many Sheds get involved in community projects too – restoring village features, helping maintain parks and green spaces, and building things for schools, libraries and individuals in need. In this episode we discuss how Charlie came to be in the role of CEO at UKMSA and his background in Paralympic Sport, particularly Wheelchair Basketball. We then discuss the genesis of the Men’s Shed and the role they play in the lives of the men who are members, the statistics that back this up, the benefits they provide to the local community and in turn, for the mental health of the men in giving them connection, achievement and pride. We pick out some of Charlie’s favourite stories of the work the Sheds have done, how they have saved lives and some of the UKMSA’s key projects, including ShedFest. We explore how Sheds cut across class lines and age boundaries in bringing men together and building bridges. For Charlie’s mental health, we discuss fatherhood, his love of walking and the importance of self-care when he noticed his general mental health was declining during a house build he did with his wife. As always, #itsokaytovent You can find out more about the UK Men's Sheds Association and where to find your local Shed here: https://menssheds.org.uk/ You can follow UKMSA on social media below: Twitter: https://x.com/ukmenssheds?s=21 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukmenssheds?igsh=cnJlMnRoY2pzYzEx Support Us: Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk
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