BAM Construction’s site team at Stobhill Hospital has provided Springburn Park Men’s Shed Association with two new cabins after responding to a plea for help.
Springburn Park Men’s Sheds is run by volunteers and offers a place where men can meet, socialise and work on projects or hobbies.
Men’s Sheds was founded in Australia over 20 years ago and in 2013 the first one opened in Scotland. The sheds provide a place for people to talk and is particularly supportive for people when they may feel isolated or vulnerable.
Sheds are split into different areas to include a social area, woodworking shop, a metal fabrication shop along with an outdoor space. As well as a place to meet and talk, the volunteers make and sell furniture and take part in horticultural activities.
Volunteer Tom Bennett approached BAM for any discarded timber which they could put to god use within their woodworking shop. However, when project manager Paul Allan and his team learned of the good work, they stepped in to help and offered them two 32-foot site cabins.
Paul explained, “Tom was looking for some old pallets but when he told us about the shed and what it meant to the guys who met there it really struck a chord with me and we wanted to help. We discussed it internally and were able to donate two of our unused site cabins. Tom was very grateful and was keen to try and install power in two existing sheds but the quote he’d received wasn’t affordable. We reached out to our supply partners and within hours, building services company, Arc Tech had offered to install the power to the two existing sheds and also the two cabins donated by BAM. Arc Tech then contacted their supply partners, MEF, Edmundsons and Nationwide Platforms, who have kindly agreed to donate the lifting equipment to carry out these works and also supply the volunteers with power tools to assist them with making their bespoke furniture.
“It really was fantastic the way everyone pulled together as it was easy to see how a relatively simple idea can transform people’s everyday living and give them an outlet to be positive.”
BAM is building a single storey facility as part of Stobhill Hospital’s dedicated Mental Health Campus on Balornock Road in Glasgow.
