The head of a popular mens’ craftsmanship group in Perthshire has appealed for aid to find a new premises for its members.
The Kinross Men’s Shed, which encourages awareness of men’s health and wellbeing, and sharing skills and knowledge, is seeking a new place to hang their tools as their current home in the old Forth Wines Unit in the Milnathort Industrial Estate has gone up for sale.
The group meets every Saturday and Wednesday from 10am to 2pm and offers members a free place to share the tools and resources they need to work on projects of their own choosing.
Glen Douglas, chairman of the group, is seeking a place that has heating, allows hot works, space for various crafts and projects, and toilets with the option of adding kitchen facilities.
Glen is hoping a new home will help “sustain membership numbers” and “allow long term planning”.
He said: “The warehouse we are in is for sale and finding somewhere to house our membership, now at 80, with a regular 25 each opening, is proving difficult if not impossible.
“Getting that out to the masses could be a great help.
“We are on a month by month basis.
“We have restrictions in our warehouse, like no hot works.
“Also there’s no heating so we’ve added a few marquees and a portable cabin for social and teaching areas.
“But our own place would allow welding etc and would hopefully be a lot smaller and easier to heat.
“For costs we have various funding options to cover rent, like the BHS Innovation Fund, Big Lottery and various trusts.”
The group has helped the community in many ways in recent times and played a huge part in the Kinross Christmas Light Switch-On last month by repairing and repainting a 30-year-old Santa’s sleigh for the event.
Glen continued: “We’re also in the process of becoming a SCIO Charity which opens more funding options.
“As we don’t charge for membership, in case it deters those less fortunate, we rely on funding and selling our crafts and renovated bikes among other things.
“These very cold days and with poor heating in our warehouse really does deter most shedders from coming along, which is a real shame as they really benefit, mentally and physically, from being there to share stories and issues.
“So not having our own place, with better heating etc does become our biggest challenge.
“I’m sure some businesses in Kinross have space for us but are either unaware or not really up to speed on Mens Sheds and our ‘here for good’ group.
“Our upcoming charity application will also help anchor anyone’s concern of whether it’s a proper community group, especially as we’ve been approached by prominent local business persons and GPs wanting to be trustees.”
