Portaferry Men’s Shed in Co Down was founded at a public meeting in November 2017 by a group of like-minded men who believed that the southern end of the Ards Peninsula would benefit from the establishment of a social activity centre.

Philip Johnston was one of the founders of the shed and is now the current chair. “Portaferry is one of a number of isolated communities dotted along the coast of a 20-mile-long peninsula. The addition of the Men’s Shed has had a great boost in morale with locals,” says Philip.

“We’re still in the early stages of developing, and to date we have been involved in beach cleans, building window boxes, garden furniture, nest boxes and wild-flower planting, whilst also socialising by playing pool, table tennis, darts and board games,” says Philip.

They work hand-in-hand with the community, tidying the village and supporting other groups where possible. “Our aim for the future is, as the shed continues to grow in numbers, that we will be able to take on even larger projects within the community.”

“Our main motto around the shed for people interested in coming would be that whether it’s to learn a new skill or just to pop in for a chat and a cuppa, don’t be afraid to drop in: we don’t bite,” laughs Philip.

“Regarding mental health, isolation and socialising, they would have been the biggest issues among our members. We feel everybody is equal and everybody’s opinion is valued. This creates a great feeling within the group, as no one is above anyone else.”

Portaferry Men’s Shed is open from 10am-2pm and 7pm-9pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The shed is located at the Presbyterian Church Hall, Meetinghouse Lane, Portaferry, Co Down.

All new members are welcome and anyone interested in joining the Men’s Shed is asked to contact Philip on 079 3439 0648.