Dunfanaghy Men’s Shed was established in 2012 due to the initiative of Dunfanaghy Family Resource Centre. They wanted to offer more activities for those who were retired or unemployed, whlie providing an opportunity for sharing skills and talents.

Robert Wasson is secretary of the Men’s Shed located in Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal. Having joined two years ago, Robert continues to bask in the opportunities of the shed. “We have had woodturning and poultry classes. We have used our skills to make stools, window boxes, and bird boxes,” says Robert. “We also made a float: a shed on wheels for the St Patrick’s Day parade. Some are keen doing work in the shed, others like being outside the shed, and some are happy coming for a chat and a cup of tea.”

The shedders are based behind the Family Resource Centre, and had the opportunity to work on the preparation of the shed at this premises. This continues as a project in itself, involving carpentry, electrical installations, repairs, and decorating.

The shed has a dedicated following, and one of the advantages of becoming a member of the shed, is that regular attendance is not a requirement. “There is quite a cross-section of people from different backgrounds. We have a strong core of 10 members who attend regularly, and we would have 20 who would appear from time to time and we are happy with that. The whole idea is that you don’t have to be present at every session,” says Robert.

The age of the shedders ranges from 30 to 80, highlighting that not all members are retired and several are currently employed. Robert hopes that the younger generation will recognise the benefits of becoming a Men’s Shed member.

Members of Dunfanaghy Men’s Shed meet three times a week, Monday and Wednesday, from 7pm to 9pm, and Saturday, from 2pm to 5pm. If you would like to join, contact Robert on 085 774 0246 or see the shed’s Facebook page for further details.