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The Charter has been developed to encourage people and companies working across the DIY, craft and hobby sector to come together to promote people's wellbeing and encourage them to become involved with groups such as Men’s Sheds.

‘We are pleased to support the objectives of the Charter’, said Graham Storer, who has been heavily involved in the Whitby area Men's Sheds.

"It is a national campaign to promote particularly men’s health and allows us to connect in community to bring more people to engage in 'creative distraction' of many kinds.

Members of the Whitby Area Sheds project and Cllr Jim Clark with a model of the sculpture they were planning to create (picture 2020). From left, Graham Storer, Malcolm Watson, North Yorkshire County Council chairman Cllr Jim Clark, Steven Marsh, Ian Wallis, Brian Holliday, Veronica Foster and Maggie Kilpatrick at the Sheds project in Staithes.

"Anxiety, depression and loneliness have become endemic in modern society with looser ties to place.

"Sheds and similar regular activities provide some compensation.

"Covid-19 exacerbated matters with some devastating impacts on individuals."

Mr Storer highlighted the case of former Staithes Shedder Colin, who entered hospital for treatment in 2019 but then was not able to return to his home.

"He is a tall man but physically disabled and the risk of falling was too high," he said.

"The only solution was to enter a care home on safety grounds.

"Mentally he was not prepared for that life-limiting change.

"Moreover, he entered the care home just as Covid restrictions were imposed and many months of room isolation followed.

"Whitby District Sheds worked with Colin to ensure he grasped the new technologies so that he could join in with twice weekly Talking Sheds at the Kitchen Table and Zoom conversations.

"That did us all good In fact."

Men’s Sheds reduce anxiety, depression and loneliness, and are life-savers - sometimes literally.

Charlie Bethel, Chief Officer of UK Men’s Sheds Association said "Men’s Sheds serve men and women but it is vitally important that we particularly champion men’s health."

The Charter is being launched at the House of Commons and hopes to bring together organisations and companies across the DIY and craft sectors with the third sector and Men’s Sheds to identify bespoke programmes to support the wellbeing of customers, staff and the general public.

Visit www.whitbysheds.co.uk for more information.

Whitby District Sheds joins Men’s Sheds across UK as new charter launched to save lives