Ashbourne Men’s Shed is a place for men from a wide variety of backgrounds. The shed was established in May 2015 by current chair and PRO Hugh Stevens. “I realised there wasn’t one in the area – but there were 250 sheds in the country,” he says.

It took three months in total to set up the shed. Their first location was in the local parish hall. The Men’s Shed now has three premises: a drop-in centre in the parish hall, a workshop area on the main street and a gardening allotment in Rathoath,where organic produce is planted and grown by shed members.

The shed received initial sponsorship from local supermarkets, donations and a Lottery win. The members work with other organisations, such as the Tidy Towns and ASH 2020 Celebration, which will honour Ashbourne’s 200-year anniversary.

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Ashbourne Men’s Shed, along with other sheds from Meath, recently renovated the Ashbourne Youth Café. The members also built a full-size crib for the local church at Christmas two years ago. The shed is currently working on summer planters for the village.

Dealing with mental health issues is an important factor in the work of Men’s Sheds. Hugh explains the men discuss their mental health while gardening. The Men’s Sheds motto is: “Men don’t talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder.”

“A lot of them would say to me ‘I wouldn’t have gotten out of bed this morning without this,’” says Hugh.

The shed has over 50 members who, Hugh says, are “able to share their experiences in a safe environment”. A lot of the men are unemployed, retired, single or widowed. “We try to cater for different age groups and we do a lot of community work,” explains Hugh.

The drop-in centre is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 1pm. The workshop is open on Thursdays, with times varying depending on demand.

For more information, contact Hugh on 087 669 1529.