At the end of March, I visited the wonderful Faversham Men’s Shed at the Abbey Physic Community Garden.
The Men’s Shed is a new service which has been brought to life by the APGC’s Ian Hardie to support men from across Kent.
The Shed provides a space for men of all ages to meet, have a cuppa and have a go at carpentry in the comfort of the shed. They have already helped men from as far as Rochester and Folkestone come together and use this valuable space.
Like so many brilliant community organisations across Faversham and Mid Kent they are putting social prescribing into action. Organisations like the Men’s Shed are at the heart of the Government’s plans to improve men’s mental health and prevent male suicide.
At the start of the year the Government awarded the UK Men’s Shed Association nearly £150,000 to support and expand the existing network. Men’s Sheds like the one at the APGC are a huge asset to both the men that attend, and the local community - improving wellbeing, reducing loneliness and combating social isolation.
Getting involved in your community is one of the best things we can all do to tackle loneliness, and I’m grateful to the many volunteers across Faversham and Mid Kent making this happen.
