Lanark Men's Shed is third best in Scotland!

Members celebrated the group’s first anniversary in October and, just a few days later, it was announced that it was one of three selected for Scotland’s Men’s Shed of the Year Award.

Originally, the result was supposed to be announced back in November but the Scottish Men’s Shed Association had to postpone the event.

On Tuesday, the winner was finally revealed … alas, it was not to be the icing on the cake for Lanark Men’s Shed.

Govan was announced as the overall winner, taking the coveted trophy and prizes, with Inverurie and District Men’s Shed taking the second spot.

However, third place in Scotland is still pretty good going after just 12 months in operation. That alone was a major boon for chairman Alan Ross and his partner Liz McIntosh, who is the group’s secretary.

Both have been campaigning for votes strenuously since the awards nominations were first announced in October.

Liz said: “As far as we’re concerned, we were winners already. To be selected as one of the best in Scotland was already a big win for every single one of our members.

"It was an incredible achievement after only a year – and there’s always next year to play for!”

We’ve little doubt that the hard-working team at Lanark Men’s Shed will certainly give it their best shot. Members have already achieved a huge amount in the last year, establishing their base at the town’s Langloch Farm, courtesy of CCI, and working on a variety of community projects.

The Shed has 45 members who enjoy a variety of groups and activities – from woodworking to walking.

Congratulating the finalists, Jason Schroeder, SMSA chief executive, said: “The purpose of the awards is two-fold – to celebrate the often-unsung contributions made by Men’s Sheds and the men, who are all volunteers, that attend them. And to break down the perceptions that s heds are just for older, retired men.

"For the awards this year, we received the largest number of applications and public votes to date. It is fantastic to see the public rally together to support a vital resource in their communities.”