Blog: Moffat virtual shedders embrace new skills

Age Scotland's health and well-being grants have been used in a variety of ways to support Men’s Sheds during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In keeping with the online theme of 2020, the Moffat Men’s Shed in Dumfries and Galloway used their grant to purchase IT equipment to allow them to run a virtual shed.

The move will allow shedders, excluded by Covid restrictions, who don’t feel confident returning to the shed or who are geographically isolated, to take part in the shed’s social and leisure activities from a safe distance.

In between lockdowns and when the tier system and household mixing rules allowed the shed moved to new premises and completed some of the necessary building work.

Unfortunately the introduction of stricter guidelines meant they couldn’t open the way they had hoped to in November. Instead the small number who were allowed to meet used the PC and printer to carry out necessary shed operations and to install the software to run their virtual shed.

Now that they’ve learned how to use the new software they are ready to hit the ground running with the virtual shed when shedders are allowed to return in small groups. This will enable them to reconnect with their members, reach out to potential new members and the local community.

Moffat Men’s Shed chairman, Dick Monaghan, said: “Our normal shed activities are restricted due to Covid and going forward there is no area within our new purpose-built shed at The Holm to welcome unrestricted numbers.

“With modern day technology, such as Zoom, we can bring a virtual shed into our shedders’ homes through laptops, tablets and mobile phones. A small number of our shedders can be supported— under stringent Covid protection measures and fully risk assessed—to be in the shed to make some tutorial films with step-by-step instructions on building items such as planters, a cold frame, bird boxes or putting up a shelf.

“In essence, we have the ways and means to bring our Shed back into the lives of our shedders and community members safely for the duration of the pandemic and beyond. The possibilities are endless!”

Moffat Men’s Shed are also taking part in our Multiplying the Shed Effect Film Project learning film production skills in order to document the progress of the virtual shed and their experience of the pandemic.

It has been a challenging 12 months but the Moffat shedders have kept busy supporting the local community. Over Christmas the Men’s Shed distributed Age Scotland gifts to older vulnerable people in Moffat.