The Men in Sheds movement originated from Australia. This began in the 1980’s which focused upon a gender bias and inappropriate care of older men living with dementia in care settings and work with Vietnam Veterans in South Australia  also played its part.

A professor Barry Golding researched the origins of the men’s shed and states Maxine Chaseling was the key person behind “The Shed” back in the early nineties. Thus the first shed for men was founded by her in 1993.

She was employed as the Co-Ordinator and the shed was opened by the Hon Dean Brown AO member for Alexandra, later to become premier of South Australia. 

This started the movement of Men Shed’s and in 2007 the Australia Men’s Shed Association  was established.

In 2008 the following  slogan for men’s sheds was adopted Shoulder to Shoulder which was shortened from  “Men don’t talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder and the term shedders came into fruition for the users of the sheds.

Obviously the movement spread and Sheds started to open up around the globe.

Thus Men in Shed’s became a theme in the UK with Sheds opening throughout. 

The rest is history but without funding or where funding has been withdrawn Shed’s have had to close leaving a big gap for people needing these places to go and talk, meet and socialize.