Toome Men’s Shed was established on 18 February 2016 and has been hugely successful.

According to one of its founding members, Peter McAlease, the shed has really filled a much-needed gap within the Co Antrim village.

With just 1,500 villagers, there wasn’t a place for the men of Toome to meet – except for the bookmakers or the pub.

“The men’s shed is the best therapy I could ever imagine,” Peter says.

In fact, the shed is such a welcoming place for villagers to come to talk, have tea and make different creations, that people from the public health service in Co Antrim have been referred there.

“For a lot of these men, they would be living solitary lives and it has been a life-saver for them,” Peter says.

The shed is open from 10.30am to 2.30pm every day from Monday to Friday and sometimes it even opens on a Saturday morning.

It is based in the old butcher shop on the main street of Toome. The basement area is used as a common area for the men, with a kettle and comfy chairs, while the workshop is out in the back garden.

“We got a grant from the big lottery for the shed and it was worth €9,300. That money went towards the tools that we use in the workshop,” explains Peter.

The men are busy in the shed, involved in some interesting projects.

“There is a new motorway near the village and as part of a conservation area along it, we have made 25 bird boxes and we will probably be asked to do more,” Peter explains.

The shed is also involved largely in the community. Peter says recently a Lady of Fatima statue came to the parish and the members of the shed helped organise the parking at the event.

There are 22 members in the shed, mostly retired and ranging in age from 50 to about 75 years old.

If anyone would like to contact the shed or find out some more information, call Peter on 0044-79-3529 7006.