by Rebecca Hannant
A group of men from South West Holderness are looking to create a new Men in Sheds group.
Following the success of the movement across the globe, two local men are looking to create a new group in the Hedon area, giving local people – not just men – a chance to connect while benefiting wider communities.
Men in Sheds, which was started in Australia in the 1980s by a group of older men, has grown internationally as a way for people to gather, share skills and support each other while making things along the way. However, the project is not exclusively aimed at men.
Participants can contribute in ways that match their abilities and interests in a range of traditional crafts such as woodworking. Members do not need lots of experience and can learn from one another.
Thorngumbald-based Ian McColm, who is a former hotel manager and rugby club general manager, and Tom Sporney, of Preston, a former property manager and electrician, were inspired to give back to the community after seeing the benefit the groups can have. They also noticed a large gap in the coverage of groups around east Hull and South Holderness and were inspired to set up their own.
The closest Men in Sheds clubs include Hornsea, Bridlington, Hull, Haltemprice, Beverley and North Ferriby.
Ian said: “I got involved because I thought it was a good idea. I noticed that existing ‘sheds’ have long waiting lists while others no longer exist.
“I then set about contacting members at Men in Sheds who have helped us. They have lottery funding that helps new Men in Sheds groups get started, including a £5,000 startup grant. They also provided the posters that helped us generate interest.
“We’ve been very hands-on, putting up posters in pubs, churches and garden centres to attract interest.”
Tom added: “From the summer of 2025, three organisational meetings were held in Ryehill, Preston and Hedon, with 35 people expressing an interest, proving the need. Trustees are now in place, and an application has been approved by the charity commission. Several people visited the Beverley ‘shed’ and a lot of information and tips were obtained.”
The group are now on the lookout for premises to set up operations, although they say it is still early days for the club, with the hope it can be fully set up next year and serve communities across South Holderness.
Ian added: “We want it to become like the Repair Shop on TV, but on a smaller scale. People will be able to bring stuff to us instead of putting it in the bin, and we can try to do something with it. It might be that one person can’t do anything, but there may be others who will be able to do something special with it.
“We also want to work with the wider community such as the businesses, and the parish councils.”
Anyone who is interested in getting involved can email [email protected].