THE international profile of Blanchardstown Men’s Shed was boosted earlier this month after it was featured on US documentary series, Turning Point.
The popular programme was broadcast on BYUtv, a channel carried by nearly 600 cable TV providers reaching a potential audience of more than 60 million homes in the US.
The Irish Men’s Shed Association was one of ten projects selected in 2011 for support from the Arthur Guinness Fund and over the course of two years will receive e50,000 along with business mentoring in order to advance the project further.
The TV documentary featuring local Men’s Shed members was filmed by a four-man production team over eight days during the summer at various locations across Ireland.
The local project has been cited as a great example of how a Men’s Shed can work in the city and it also has some of the youngest members in Ireland.
The production team visited several Sheds including ones at Killarney, Armagh and Taghmon, Bannow and Enniscorthy in Co Wexford. It’s the first time an episode of the programme was filmed outside of the United States.
There are now approximately 100 Men’s Sheds in Ireland and the organisation is growing at a rate of about one each week. A Men’s Shed is any community-based, non-commercial organisation that’s open to all men.
The primary activity is the provision of a safe, friendly and inclusive environment where men are able to gather and work on meaningful projects at their own pace, in their own time and in the company of other men.
The primary objective is to advance the health and well-being of the participants.
John Evoy, CEO of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association, says that the documentary means a great deal in terms of raising the profile of the organisation and promoting development.
“This documentary has been a great boost to the Irish Men’s Sheds Association and a strong vote of confidence in the goals and mission of the organisation,
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“We were contacted out-of-the-blue by the production company who had found our website and were impressed by the type of work being carried out at Men’s Sheds around Ireland.
“It is the first time that the film-makers had left the United States to make a programme so we were happy that they chose the Irish Men’s Sheds Association.
“Men’s Sheds are a new type of organisation for Ireland which gives men an opportunity to get together to work on a project if they want or just relax with other friends in a welcoming environment.
“Members of Men’s Sheds can come from all walks of life – the bond that unites them is that they are men with time on their hands and they would like something meaningful to do with that time.
“I feel that this documentary captures what Men’s Sheds is about and I would encourage everyone to watch it.
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?¢ The Turning Point documentary can be watched online at www.menssheds.ie.