Hot on the heels of our post yesterday about the terrible possibility that the Scottish Mens' Sheds Association faced closure by the end of the year, we were delighted to hear that the Scottish Government has, once again, done a u-turn on this vital funding issue.
Welcoming the decision, SMSA CEO Jason Schroeder (pictured top) said: “The government grant in 2016 of £75,000 was an initial start-up grant for the charity which supported, at that time, five Sheds and developing the movement across Scotland. Unfortunately, that amount has never been increased as the movement grew and we immediately sought other grant funders. However, now post pandemic and with men needing more support than ever, we now require £360,000 per annum to deliver our development plans and support to over 200 Sheds across Scotland.
“With the growing and highest male suicide rates in Scotland – out of the whole of the UK – we require the Scottish Government to once and for all fully commit and get behind the most successful men’s health preventative model created in Scotland so the SMSA, the movement and the people of Scotland never end up in this situation again.
“We applaud the First Minister’s financial support statement and welcome talks with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP to further discuss our vital work through this men’s health and wellbeing model being carried out successfully across Scotland.”
You can watch the issue being raised in the government debate at the start of the video below:
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