Age Concern Banstead organises a wide range of support for older people in our area. One of which is the Banstead Men’s Club which meet at the Banstead Centre on the first Friday of the month.

Banstead Men’s Club members enjoying a beer and a sandwich

Age Concern started the Men’s Club because it identified a gap in its service provision. They had plenty of women taking part in their programmes  but not so many men. There is no formal membership – just turn up at the Banstead Centre in The Horseshoe at Noon. It costs £7 per session which includes a beer and a sandwich and an interesting speaker.

Last month over 25 men welcomed Bob Haywood who had been an editor on the Panorama TV programme for 35 years. He explained his role and entertained the group with his experiences over the years including the Tiananmen Square protests, the Berlin Wall coming down and Nelson Mandela’s release from jail. He also told the group about working with colleagues including David Dimbleby, John Simpson, and Kate Aidie.

Bob Haywood – Guest Speaker and past Panorama editor

If you are interested in joining the Banstead Men’s Club, visit Age Concern Banstead’s website [www.ageconcernbanstead.org.uk] or telephone 01737 352156 for more information. Or simply turn up on the first Friday of the month.

Age Concern is also planning to start a Men’s Shed in Banstead. These are community spaces for men to connect, converse and create. The activities are often similar to those of garden sheds, but for groups of men to enjoy together. They help reduce loneliness and isolation, but most importantly, they’re fun.

Nick Pulsford, Chairman of Age Concern Banstead’s trustees, has the funds organised and the site found for Banstead’s Men’s Shed and is now waiting for planning permission to be finalised so work can start on Banstead’s Men’s Shed.

Nick Pulsford, Age Concern Banstead’s Chairman, at the site of Banstead’s Men’s Shed behind The Banstead Centre at the Horseshoe
 

A Men’s Shed is typically a larger version of the typical man’s shed in the garden – a place where he feels at home and pursues practical interests with a high degree of autonomy. A Men’s Shed offers a place, the tools, and the resources for members to work on projects of their own choosing at their own pace and in a safe, friendly, and inclusive venue.’

Kew’s Men’s Shed

The Men’s Sheds movement began in Australia when men realised the value of coming together around practical tasks on a regular basis. This appeals to men both living alone or with partners of all ages although the vast majority of ‘shedders,’ as they are called in Australia, are at or beyond retirement date.

There are now more than 500 Men’s Sheds in the UK, 950 in Australia and 200 in Ireland as well as others across Europe and North America.

Neighbouring Age Concern, Merstham Redhill & Reigate already has a successful Men’s Shed. It’s been going eight years and Simon Featherstonaugh is its Project Manager. Simon says, “I used to live in Australia and belonged to a shed out there and thought it would be great to start one here.”

It is a great idea, and we look forward to the Banstead Shed. We will keep you informed.