Tag Archives: shed

One man and his shed: Why the humble garden retreat could help men live longer

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It’s long been cherished by men as a refuge to get on with some DIY, tackle a crossword, or even just for some peace and quiet away from the family. But now it would seem the humble garden shed has an even more valuable role – it could actually help men live longer, according to a health expert.

The therapeutic effects of pottering around doing odd jobs relieves stress, which lowers blood pressure, and even boosts self-esteem.

Haven: For many men it’s a welcome retreat, but a health expert believes the garden shed could be a life-saver

Leeds Metropolitan University’s Alan White – the first professor of men’s health – believes the effects could add years to a man’s life. He told the Telegraph: ‘Men find doing things relaxing and that in itself is good for their health. ‘There’s a sense of achievement that men get from starting a task and seeing it through to completion. It’s good for self-esteem.’

Professor White’s research is due to be published in the British Medical Journal .

Health experts are so convinced of the benefits that ‘men’s shed’ groups have sprung up in the UK – a place where men can meet and get on with some DIY. There are already 20 such groups – focusing mainly on the retired – up and down the country.

Pottering about: Men find completing tasks relaxing, which is good for their health, it has been claimed

Professor White believes because men feel so at ease in sheds that they are more likely to listen to home truths about their health. The concept of the sheds scheme came from Australia and it is being backed in this country by the Men’s Health Forum, as well as other voluntary organisations.

Peter Baker, chief executive of the charity, told the Telegraph: ‘I think they’ve caught the men’s imagination. Men like to potter. These are from a generation who, on a Sunday afternoon, like to pull apart a car and put it back together with a Haynes manual. ‘It is hoped the scheme will offer a comfortable environment for men to talk about any health issues they might be having.

Blog provided by dailymail.co.uk 2011

The Garden Shed. A poem about……sheds!

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The Garden Shed
It was just a weathered garden shed,
In the shadow of a tree,
With faded boards and sagging door,
But a wonderment to me. Inside upon the wooden floor,
Were garden tools and things,
The smell of leaves when they are dry,
Such memories they do bring.In days when I was but a child,
We’d visit Uncle George,
And he would give me Blackjack Gum,
A friendship we would forge.

And just outside his garden shed,
Was a fish pond with a bridge,
I’d love to relive all those days,
Oh, the things I wouldn’t give!

That time has passed, I’m older now,
But this one thing I know,
I’ll cherish all those childhood days,
As my dark hair turns to snow.

by David Ronald Bruce Pekrul

Fred’s Shed. A poem about sheds

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Fred’s shed

A Man’s home is his Castle
which you may have heard or read
but to Fred the place he loves the most
is his very own Garden Shed.
This structure he made from wood
is where he likes to be
inside he can set the World to right
over a sandwich and a mug of tea.
Yes his Shed is looking a bit ramshackle
and luxurious it definitely ain’t
what with the roof needing repairing
not to mention a good old lick of paint.
But Fred’s shed is his sanctum
where he goes to get some space
inside it’s like a small Bedsit
with a comfy chair and a Bookcase.
So if you don’t see him in his House
and think could old Fred even be dead?
don’t worry he’s alive and well
he’s probably moved into his beloved Shed!

Kevin Halls