 I invite those who are leaving the public gallery to do so as quickly and quietly as possible, as business is still in session, and the next item of business is a member's business debate on motion 3064 in the name of Christine Graham on men don't talk. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put. I invite members who wish to participate to press the request speak buttons now or as soon as possible, and I call on Christine Graham to open the debate for around seven minutes. I thank you for the pause to allow members to come in. It's a great pleasure that I lead my debate on men's sheds and it's not the first time I would add having spoken in 2019 in a previous debate I led and I also contributed again in 2021. I thank members for signing the motion and in advance for contributing today. I also welcome to the gallery members of the Peebles and also the Penicooks men's sheds in my constituency. Both of these I had visited pre-Covid and we'd hoped to do so again. There are also sheds in Lauderdale and Gallashields. All sheds have much in common with a wide range of experience in the members, which is very handy with the accountant who can search out funding streams. If you're lucky, a retired lawyer, not many people say that about lawyers, who can help with the legal stuff and men with trade experience who collectively make a powerful functioning organisation. However, first that name shed is so apt to be chosen. I recall my father had won in his own one-man shed plonked right in the middle of the back garden. There he would retreat from our large and noisy family with the Sunday papers and sit in the open doorway at peace with the world or he would disappear within to make sledges for us that were so heavy they wouldn't move through the snow and there were the shelves constructed to survive an earthquake. Woodworking was not a talent of his but he was happy. When men's sheds came on the scene, I immediately recognised the benefits. The play Men Don't Talk by Claire Prenton was born out of discussions with Peebles men's shed members and it prompted me yet again to highlight the importance of men's sheds. Their men do talk and the play explores what they talk about, a whole range of issues, small, medium and large. By large I mean issues of loneliness, bereavement, dementia and so on. All of this, while hammering away at burn boxes, planters, garden benches, mostly for community use, accompanied of course by the obligatory cups of tea, coffee and tea. Men's sheds come in biscuits. Lest I forget, I should make it plain that Peebles men's sheds also provide for women members. I thank the Scottish Men's Sheds Association for their briefing and note that today there are 201 known sheds and developing groups across Scotland, 129 of them open, 47 in development and 25 proposed. The pandemic also meant that some sheds have gone but post pandemic there is an even greater need for them as we can see from those I mentioned as proposed and in development. Incidentally the Scottish Men's Sheds Association has an excellent website to guide those interested in the do's and the don'ts of establishing their shed. I now welcome more people to the gallery. You missed a bit but you can see it online later. There is no dispute that men's sheds do a power of good and I am not just talking about burn boxes and benches. The companionship is good for body and soul, much needed, especially after the last two dreadful years. I know that you want to have taken part in the debate so I thought that I would say it out and say what you would have said besides I have family connections to Orkney through a sister which I think gives me sufficient authority to deputise for you. I am deputising for the deputy. How nice. Here is the gist of what you told me. Orkney's men's shed, like others, found securing premises difficult but having it last found a central location in Finston midway between Strom Ness and Kirkwall and thus central and ideal has now had to relocate to Strom Ness itself. A hard-working team of volunteers led by Morgan Harcass has quickly enabled Orkney men's shed to prove its worth, both to members and the wider community. The concept is making its way north of the galt with plans for the sandy men's shed well advance. Given the risks of isolation of poor mental health, there is no reason at all while this model could not be replicated on other islands, albeit tailored to meet the circumstances, demand and personalities in each community. I trust that if I run out of time I will get a little bit more now for that. However, Minister and the Minister will know where I am going with us. Funding for sheds has to be raised through the big lottery and so on. Its time-consuming, exhausting and finding suitable premises is a common challenge and not just in Orkney. That was to in Peebles, which secured premises in the former ex-servicemen's club in Penicook, which has just secured a place in the YMCA after years. Local authorities often do help with that. The Scottish Government is quite right to face up to the challenges of the population's health and wellbeing, especially of older people. Keeping folk fit and body and mind is not only the right thing to do but can save more than pennies for the public purse, especially the health budget. I am glad that you are listening, Minister. It seems to me, therefore, that there is a requirement for a more proactive role for government in supporting the men's shed movement. I am aware that there was a meeting with SMSA earlier to discuss a new funding strategy for men's sheds. It was looking at a trilateral funding approach within the budgets of yourself, ministerial inequalities in older people and the minister for mental wellbeing and social care. I understand that the minister has responded to requests for three-year funding. I appreciate that the Scottish Men's Shed Association is disappointed to receive only one-year funding, but I have to say that these are extraordinary times with severe financial pressures on all budgets. My mother used to say that it is better to get something than nothing. I note that the minister has also suggested that the Men's Shed Association applies for funding to explore the upcoming social isolation and loneliness fund. I encourage them to do that. If I have allowed, I will be back again in a year's time with another men's shed debate. I am looking to see that there is more funding secured for this very important organisation and for all the individuals who give up their time and have men's sheds developing throughout Scotland. I am glad that you are listening, minister. Thank you very much and I hope that the Deputy Presiding Officer is also happy. I am always a pleasure to be able to put words in your mouth. I can advise the chamber that there is, quite understandably, a lot of demand to speak in this debate. I am also conscious that business resumes after lunch at 2pm. We do not therefore have an awful lot of time, so I would be grateful if you could stick to the four-minute allocations. I am by Audrey Nicholl, to be followed by Miles Briggs, up to four minutes. I wish to thank Christine Grahame for bringing forward this important motion that eloquently describes the commitment behind creating the one-at-play men don't talk, the storyline development, the issues that explorers, the funding support, all helping to create an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health and the vital role of men's sheds in many of Scotland. What struck me about the motion is really creative and positive relationship between the people's men's shed, playwright Claire Prenton, the inspiring Life Evie Douglas Memorial Fund and the Eastgate Theatre in people's that clearly brought significant positive benefits to everyone involved in the project. Age Scotland describes men's sheds as a safe social space for all men with time on their hands to come together to socialise and to undertake purposeful activities for themselves and their community. Sheds aim to provide positive views of ageing and later life, tackle loneliness and isolation and help older men to be as well as they can be. I'm sure most, if not all, MSPs who've supported Christine Grahame's motion will have a special relationship with men's sheds in their constituencies and regions and my constituency of Aberdeen South and North Concardin hosts three sheds and I'll be dropping into them over the summer. Earlier this year I spoke about the Perlethan men's shed and a speech about veterans and mental health and wellbeing and Cliff and John, both shedders and veterans, are testimony to the role the shed plays in helping them to access their social network of friends. Recently, my colleague Jacquine Dunbar brought a motion forward celebrating global intergenerational week in which I spoke about the work of one sheder who has created doodle boards for a local primary school, putting his practical skills to very good use, recycling materials, wood and so on, and supporting children learn while developing their sensory practice. However, the reach of this particular shed is much wider, as evidenced by the dementia friendly garden that they maintain, the planters that they've made for their local railway station, the benches that they are currently making out of Mahogany, no less, to be placed outside the local chemists for older people waiting for their prescriptions. All activities enabling men to come together with their peers, neighbours and even strangers and talk. Of course, the context of today's debate addresses the scenario of not so much men don't talk, maybe also men don't want to talk or don't feel able to talk. A recent American study on the role of men sheds in health promotion for older men highlighted the importance of an informal, male-friendly and safe shed environment that helps them to open up and talk about health issues in a comfortable and secure way. By sharing their individual health and illness experiences with their peer group, men gain social support, which helps them to deal with their health issues and, in particular, their mental health. I have it on good authority that my friends at the Pertlethan men's shed are more than happy to talk quite frequently about their waterworks, the number of times they go to the loo in the evening and which treatment works best. Wonderful stuff. The study also suggests that a successful men's shed must be supported by the availability of good shed facilities and, as Christine Grahame highlighted, sufficient funding and a management arrangement driven by shedders that enables them to make their own decisions, for example, which projects they want to work on. To conclude, I thank Christine Grahame for bringing the motion forward today. I look forward to visiting Pertlethan, Cove and Daltons and Couture and District Men's Sheds during recess for a bit of summer talk. It's now given Parliament to discuss men's health week as well and Claire Preston's play, Men Don't Talk, and the work of men's sheds in general across Scotland. As Christine Grahame has already outlined, Claire Prenton produced the one act play, Men Don't Talk, after conducting a number of workshops in men's sheds and groups in people's. The work of the film really does show the huge benefit of men's sheds, and that's something that I hope we can all acknowledge today. Men Don't Talk highlighted the work that men's sheds, such as people's and district men's sheds, do in helping to dispel the myth that men do not talk, rather men talk in a place and at a time when they feel comfortable to do so, which is why men's sheds and other community projects are so essential to all our communities. The debate is taking place, indeed, during men's health week this week, which is working to raise awareness of health problems that disproportionately affect men. Men's sheds organisations across the country are indeed a vital support and source of friendship, relief and comfort to many and provide that strong support network, which often men feel, especially in today's technologically driven world, they're not necessarily connected to. That's important, that human contact is really looked at as well. They provide an excellent opportunity to act early as well in the work that needs to take place to help address people's depression, relationship breakdown, male suicide, particularly from men in Scotland from the poorest social backgrounds, who are often the most vulnerable due to issues around unemployment and poor social conditions as well. The figures surrounding mental health and suicide among men in Scotland are shocking. We've had many debates on that. I think that men's sheds have a positive role to help to play in that jigsaw of how we find a solution. In Scotland today, more young people under the age of 29 die by suicide than any other cancer, all cancers combined. In 2020, 71 per cent of all suicides recorded were men, further illustrating the disproportionately high number of suicides among men in Scotland. In my constituency here in Lothian, between 2016 and 2020, over 500 people died from suicide, with 389, 70 per cent of them, like the national average, being men. I recently met the men's sheds association at their Bancrie HQ to discuss the challenges facing the charity and the work that they can do to help to turn around some of those problems and the role they need to play in helping us to do that. Anyone who has interacted with a man's shed will know how their work is making such a huge impact on local men in their each and every community. The model that is working so well in rural and urban Scotland. A number of the Lothians, which I represent, is fortunate that a number of men's sheds associations are now operating in the area, but we need to work to expand them even further. I think that that is an important part of what this debate can bring forward today. That also represents where members' business can also drive change, which the members managed to do. I note that the minister responded yesterday to the men's shed organisation with regard to funding and that the Scottish Government will make available £75,000 of core funding. As Christine Grahame outlined, that is fine in terms of staffing, but we need to see that future commitment around support. The three-year funding request that was put forward and rejected, I hope that this debate can help to see that revisited and that ministers will look towards a future sustainable financial package that can be developed. It is hugely important that we see that if we are going to see the sustainability around men's sheds and their expansion. With just under 3,000 individual members and a pre-Covid engagement of around 10,000 members across Scotland, the Scottish Men's Sheds Association is indeed the fastest and largest growing member-led men's health charity in Scotland. It is vital that we look towards how they will be expanded. To conclude, I thank Christine Grahame and Claire for bringing to the attention of the work of men's sheds to Parliament. I think that I would close with an important quote from another woman, actress Glenn Close, that sums up the issue quite nicely. What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candour and more unashamed conversation. I sincerely hope that in the next year, when we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first men's shed in Scotland and the pandemic hopefully being behind us, that we can tackle issues of men's health and wellbeing with more sunlight, more candour and more unashamed conversation. I know that it is not in keeping with members' debates to be too strict with time limits, but we are under the pump because of business starting at 2 o'clock, so if you could stick to your four minutes, I would be very grateful. David Torrance, to be followed by Paul O'Kee. I thank you to my colleague Christine Grahame for securing this important debate in the chamber today. We all know that most men don't talk as much as they should, but why don't they? In the past, men were encouraged to talk about their feelings. In fact, they were often actively discouraged from doing so. Over the years, men have been conditioned not to talk about their fears, emotions or feelings. I believe that two simple words have had that greatest detrimental effect on how comfortable men feel about talking about their problems and experiences, man up. When the terms of the phrase begin that men should be strong, shouldn't show their feelings, shouldn't cry and are expected to get through their problems on their own. The words are often thrown around without any given to the damage that is inflicting or just to the person on the receiving end but to a wider society and future generations. Historically, men have been taught to hide their pain, physical and mental emotion, with society making it difficult for men to discuss topics of personal importance, fear instead in personal matters such as sport or popular culture. It is encouraging to see that our younger generations appear to be more open to talking about mental health, thanks in part to the media presence that mental health now has and to social media which can be a lifeline for those who feel isolated. I am reassured to see just how far things have progressed since I was a boy but there still is much work to be done to challenge the cultural stereotype that exists in our society and to avoid the trap of toxic masculinity. Startling research from men's health charity, Moevember, finds that nearly a third of men say they feel pressured to be manly or masculine. To maintain the appearance of manliness, research finds that 38 per cent of men do not talk to others about their feelings and that almost three in ten men have never shown emotion or cried in front of others. The pressures to repress emotion can have devastating consequences on the mental health and may even stop some men from seeing a healthcare profession about physical or mental health problems. The inability or willingness to reach out to friends, family or health professionals can have devastating results. The statistics surrounding the issue of male suicide are truly heartbreaking to read. The figures from the national records of Scotland show that one in four men have thought about taking their own life. In 2020, 71 per cent of all suicides were men and every year since 1985 more than 70 per cent of people dying from suicide have been male. 43 per cent of men wish they could talk more to others about their personal problems. It can be a vicious cycle. Men don't talk about mental health because there's a stigma but until more men talk about it, the stigma will remain. That's why organisations such as Men's Sheds are very important. They provide a safe and supportive environment that fosters discussion and encourage shoulder to shoulder chats. We cater for unique needs of men by recognising that many men find it difficult to discuss their own personal thoughts and feelings head on. As I mentioned in the chamber before, my constituency is a home of Cercodi, a district of Men's Shed. In fact, the last time I stood here highlighting their invaluable contribution to the local community, I was told that they had been a victim to a robbery with their equipment, tools and electrical generators or stolen, rendering them powerless. I'm delighted to report that not only have they recovered from that crime, but they have gone from strength to strength. The group has now secured and moved into their own premises, which has seen their membership increase greatly over recent months. The community open day last month was also a great success with a number of men coming along to find out more about what they do. It was great to see local reaction to national issues. Also in Cercodi, there are a number of groups that address men's mental health, including Peaceman chat movement and Andy's man club, all of which are helping to reframe the message that it's okay to talk. In conclusion, we must continue to challenge and change and empower our fathers, brothers, sons and friends so that they all have their voices heard. Future generations of men and boys grew up feeling confident to talk about and expressing their emotions, asking for help when they need it and discussing the topics that they have never dared to before. Men get together to start to talk about issues that really matter, and the results can be astounding. Felly, I call Paula Cain to be followed by Ruth Maguire up to four minutes. I begin this afternoon by thanking Christine Grahame for bringing this debate to the chamber today. I am in no doubt from what we've heard today that the play Men Don't Talk by Claire Printon goes a long way to dispelling the myths that persist in our society that men don't talk and indeed the stigma that persists in our society. I congratulate Claire on that important piece of work. To go into community and work hand in hand with a men shed to inform the play can only mean that it gives a piercing insight into the worries and angst of so many men, even if that sometimes extends to discussing who is next to do the dreaded trip to the shops. I agree with Christine Grahame that projects such as Men Don't Talk are an excellent example of community collaboration and play an important role in raising awareness in society of those who may be less comfortable in engaging in conventional support. I think that if the performance does travel further north at some point in time we would all be delighted to attend a showing and perhaps that's something that we could do in this Parliament indeed in the future. In my own community we are fortunate enough to have access to our own men shed just down the road in Barhed, a community that the minister knows well and indeed the minister and I have visited that excellent facility. We have not yet been encouraged by the members to take up woodwork ourselves, although that may well happen in the future, although I am not entirely confident about my own abilities in that regard. The community men shed in Barhed does so much more than provides a space for crafting and woodwork. As well as doing that it provides a lifeline to many in our community, older people, both men and women, to come together and share a space with one another. The men shed does amazing work and there's so much that we can all learn by their example of kindness and respect to all. Every time I've visited I have felt that warmth, that kindness and that real buzz that is around the place with people coming together. I don't know if I have time to take an intervention. You'd have to take it in your ability to take it. I want to share with members a few quotes that have come directly from members of the shed in Barhed that I think typifies really what it means to them. One person said, It may just be a shed to you, but to me it is my sanctuary. Another said, the men shed has been my lifesaver since my wife died. From these quotes it's clear to me that we need to do as much as we can to provide support for these organisations, which for some people is indeed their lifeline. As other members have said, this isn't rocket science. It's a model that perhaps in some ways has always been around, but the difference that it makes is huge. As Christine Grahame said, we need to think about the preventative spend that it creates, particularly the savings that it makes in terms of the health budget. We've already heard from other members the issues of funding and sustainability for men's sheds, and I think that sustainability of funding is crucial. I know that that is something that worries many people who are active in the men's shed movement. We have heard some of the national issues that the men's shed association is experiencing. I do hope that the minister will pick up on those in his concluding remarks. I think that there are also issues at the local level in receiving funding and support for lease of buildings that they occupy, with councils sometimes dragging heels when it comes to making decisions on future support that they will provide. I think that we need to explore further the framework within the community empowerment act on asset transfer. The men's shed and bar headers raised the issues around the validation certificate and the length of time it can take to have that confirmed. The kind of uncertainty that that creates in terms of applying to funders and being able to have that sense of control over the building that they occupy. I am very conscious of time. I do hope that the minister might be able to respond to that or perhaps take up offline with me some of those issues. In closing, I know that the Scottish men's shed movement will celebrate its 10th year since the first ever men's shed opened in 2013 next year. Now, a movement from bar head to Ullipool has gone from strength to strength across the country and should be celebrated. I look forward to all coming together next year in this Parliament with perhaps even more guests from men's seds across the country to celebrate that milestone. I am sure that, if you can operate a kettle, you will be very welcome in the bar head men's shed. I now call Ruth Maguire to be followed by Maggie Chapman. I would like to thank Christine Grahame for bringing this important topic to the chamber and highlighting the positive impact of men's sheds. I would also like to welcome the shedders who are in the gallery and congratulate Clare Print and Inspire Life and the gentlemen of people's and district's men's shed who collaborated to create and produce Men Don't Talk. According to Scottish Men's Sheds Association, there are 127 men's sheds in Scotland, three of which are in my constituency, three towns men's shed, urban harborside men's shed and urban new town men's shed, who in September 2019, along with Garnet Valley men's shed, created the Ayrshire men's shed network. A man's shed might conjure up the image of a lone man making or amending items by hand, content away from the family, as Christine Grahame described at the bottom of the garden, but what we're talking about today is a wee bit different. Men's sheds are about social connections, friendship building, sharing skills and knowledge, banter and, of course, a biscuit or two. We all know that men's health can be overlooked with men being more predisposed to physical illness and injury on top of being vastly more susceptible to mental health problems and suicide than women. It's often reported that men are less likely to access professional interventions. Men's sheds raise awareness, encourage shedders to look after themselves and to seek help where needed. The three towns men's shed, in conjunction with other organisations, co-ordinated a very successful men's wellbeing event, which featured the Prostate Scotland virtual toolbox workshop to raise awareness of prostrate disease. The Scottish Shedder, the official free magazine of the Scottish Men's Sheds Association, not only promotes news from men's sheds across Scotland to showcase their successes, but includes a health section which promotes topics from first aid to the benefits of physical activity. It also includes personal stories from men on how becoming a member of their local shed helped to turn their lives around. With an increase to online activities and the use of social media, one particular area of concern is social isolation and loneliness. As I'm sure we can all understand, this was exacerbated during lockdown, with limited social interactions and community spaces closed. Organisations such as Age Scotland herald men's sheds for offering opportunities to interact meaningfully with others. What's more, many sheds get involved in community projects, restoring village features, helping to maintain parks and green spaces and building things for schools, libraries and individuals in need. At the end of last year, urban harboursides men's shed were made away of a young apprentice joiner in the town who didn't have tools. They quickly stepped in by gifting him a tool bag and basic toolkit to get him started. They also recently made planters and a bookshelf for the Puffer cafe at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine. The three town men's shed run evening classes, providing basic DIY skills, camera skills and painting and decorating advice, allowing members to share their own skillset with the wider community. An Irvine new town men's shed turned pallets donated by a local business into fabulous benches, decorations and planters for Dreghorn library's garden. Men's sheds are vital. They are a community space for men to connect, converse and create. They help to produce loneliness and isolation and take into consideration the differing male behaviours and attitudes towards men's physical and mental health. More importantly, they are fun. I wish them all the best. The 2013 study of men's sheds, described as physical dominance, emotional control and achievement through paid work, completely fails to respect or acknowledge the reality of men's lives, men's emotions, men's relationships, needs and experiences. It is perhaps no coincidence that the men's shed movement originated in Australia, a repository of so many patriarchal fantasies, or that it has taken such root in Scotland where we are. I hope, beginning to recognise that we all can, regardless of gender, indeed talk and feel and cry. I am fortunate as an MSP for the north-east region to represent the members of many wonderful men's sheds. We have men's and community sheds in our cities, from Llochee in Dundee to Bridge of Don in Aberdeen. In towns across Aberdeenshire and Angus, from Bancree to Breakin, Fraserborough to Forfer, and in many village and rural communities, some bring together the city and countryside, like the cast of gallery men's shed, which meets in Dundee's technology park. Whatever their setting, men's sheds fulfil the same core functions, providing a place for people to meet, to talk, to share, to share skills, projects and ideas and to be active in the company of others. Some, such as Westhill, host talks by experts in local history and health issues, while Inverury has a music group. The connections between activity, social relationships and good physical and mental health are well established, and men's sheds play a vital role in supporting their members' wellbeing in body, mind and spirit. Men's sheds do not only benefit to their own members, they provide huge benefits to their local communities, as analysed by the Gable Endies men's shed in Montrose and to the wider world. Many of the concepts that we discuss in this Parliament, the changes that we want to see happen, men's sheds are already doing quietly, practically and wisely. Re-use, repair and recycle isn't just an aspiration for the men's sheds of the north-east, it's a daily reality. Across the region, tools, machines and furniture are rescued, refurbished, returned to active use and love. At Peterhead's men's shed, they even refit boats, while Ferry Hill is linked with the Railway Heritage Trust. And they meet community needs in immediate and practical ways. In Tarrif, they built children's picnic tables and in Bamford McDuff, a mud kitchen, both for local primary schools. That positive relationship with local schools is replicated in many communities, teaching and doing, woodworking, gardening and more. Men's sheds have long been addressing the crises of food insecurity and poverty. Ellen Men's sheds, like many others, has a polytunnel and raised beds, while Afford produces vegetable and herb plants for sale. Men's sheds can address global needs as well. In Broughty Ferry, hand tools are collected, refurbished and shipped to Malawi, a vital resource for communities there. It is inspiring. Men's sheds themselves face challenges, as we've heard, both institutionally and to their individual members. Covid has had a deeply damaging effect on capacity, with many still waiting to resume their projects. Health issues, both physical and mental, the cost of living crisis and growing pension poverty limit many men's engagement with their local sheds. And there are challenges of inclusion, communities that could benefit from men's sheds but where they are yet to reach. In reflecting on the wonderful achievements of men's sheds in the north-east, across Scotland and the world, we should perhaps be asking ourselves how we here can do more. How can the decisions that we make in this Parliament, the prioritise that we decide upon, the messages that we send, support and extend the vital work of men's sheds now and into the future? I look forward to continuing this discussion with colleagues of the rest of this session. It is a pleasure to speak in this debate and I congratulate Christine Grahame for securing it and giving the Parliament the opportunity to commend the positive contribution made by men's sheds and the wider community. I agree with Christine that men's sheds are a vital support in Scotland's communities and I am pleased to have signed and supported the motion in her name. As a member for Clydebank and Mogai, I am pleased to advise Parliament that I have two men's sheds in my constituency, the men's shed in Clydebank and the Mogai and Bersden Shed in Bersden. The Mogai and Bersden Shed is in the Pagoda at the King George V park in Bersden and extensive search by initial trustees of the group identified the former tennis changing rooms, the Pagoda as a possible home for the shed. After a year of negotiations with Westin Bartonshire council, they got to the keys with the Dirlik building in April 2018. The building has been lovingly restored by the group and supported by a grant from Eastin Bartonshire health and social care partnership. In Clydebank, the sheds are formal school huts in the grounds of Damure sea centre and the group has also recently managed to secure another hut from Westin Bartonshire council and in the process of refurbishing this. It's great to see these Dirlik buildings being brought back into use. I have had the privilege of visiting both sheds and spent an enjoyable time listening to my constituents about why this resource plays an important part in their lives. Some of the men I spoke to told me that attending the men's shed gave them a purpose. It was also clear that they would bring a tremendous gain to our local communities. I give particular thanks to Mick Wilson for hosting my visit in Clydebank and to Hamish Livingston at the Moghau and Bears Den Shed. It was wonderful to meet them and the other men who were there. We had a great chat and it was a really enjoyable day. I came away clear about the good that these facilities are doing for my constituents. This support was often there when they needed it most. Frequently, as an antidote to social isolation and poor mental health, during the visit to both sheds, the men spoke about the mental and physical health benefits that they got from attending. Some of the men had recently retired and had a lot of time on their hands compared to when they were working. Attending the shed helped to reduce social isolation and gave them an opportunity to speak to other men in a chance to be creative and, oh boy, they are creative. There are many trades. There are ex-joiners, painters, for example, and they can turn their hands to absolutely anything and do it effortlessly. Covid-19 placed such a strain on mental health and unfortunately increased social isolation. I admired how the men tried to keep in touch during this time having made lasting friendships, recognising the importance of this contact even more. That is why the feeling of relief and happiness was obvious when they finally got to meet in the shed when the Covid-19 restrictions were eased. It was an honour to be invited to their reopening celebration in Clybank and pleased to show my support for their community endeavour. The commitment to our community is widely recognised and highly valued. In both sheds, they are very connected to the wider community. In eastern Barchonshire, Bearsden and Mogai, for example, have supported Mogai and Bloom, with their fuller arrangement outside the Fraser Centre. They have also constructed an outside canopy for Gavin Mill and also helped Bearsden and Bloom. In Clybank, they are also very active in our community, supporting local groups, in particular the local patrick food parcels, and both organisations help each other in kind. It is a great example of them being there for one another in the fostering of our community spirit. In conclusion, I am pleased to take the opportunity to thank both men's sheds in my constituency. We are very fortunate to have two. I have the highest praise for them and I will be a very strong supporter as a constituency MSP. I am conscious of the number of speakers who still want to contribute to the debate, so I am minded to accept a motion on the rule 8.14.3 to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes. I invite Christine Grahame to move that motion. The question is that the debate will be extended by up to 30 minutes. Are we all agreed? Excellent. With that, it is not an invitation to go beyond your four minutes, but I call Paul Sweeney to be followed by Paul McLennan. Challenge accepted, Deputy Presiding Officer. Thank you very much. It was a pleasure to support the original motion lodged by the member from Midlodene South, Tweedale and Lauderdale. I am delighted to see that her motion has achieved enough support for debating the chamber and congratulate her on that. I also congratulate all those who are involved in producing men's don't talk. I hope that they play and all those involved are rightly proud of their work and continue to enjoy much success in their endeavours in such a worthwhile endeavour. I am grateful for the opportunity to pay tribute to men's sheds across Scotland, but more specifically in Glasgow, particularly the Springburn men's shed in north Glasgow, which I have a close association with over recent years. They took over an abandoned Romney shed, a council depot in the park, and it was formally established as a men's shed in August 2018, led by the fantastic Tom Bennett. It has since then grown exponentially as a supportive environment for men in the local area, as well as a wonderfully creative and generous community initiative. Springburn men's sheds are a wonderful example of the ideals and missions of the General Med Sheds project in Scotland to provide valuable services in the community and provide a means for men to share their skills and knowledge with others. They have worked brilliantly with local business to reuse material that is in excess to benefit the community, such as in the construction of new mental health wards at Stalbill hospital just half a mile away. Even porter cabins were used to extend the men's sheds complex and built a community library and a tea station and kitchen facilities. It has really grown arms and legs, thanks to construction companies such as BAM for supporting in such a practical and meaningful way. The men's shed has contributed back by using those investments by private businesses and by the council and other organisations to ensure that the community has positive impacts. Across all generations, the men's shedders regularly visit primary schools to install outdoor play equipment mud kitchens, which I am not quite sure what they are, but they are popular with children. I offer a handyman service on Mondays and Fridays, which is really important for the elderly environment and is booked up to August. That is a real issue that we need to face in our communities. As statutory services are facing real financial pressure, council maintenance budgets are being cut and garden maintenance is being cut back, we are seeing increasing lines informally on the goodwill being built up in communities. Whilst I deprecate cuts to public services, I must recognise the importance of community resilience. The men's sheds are a fantastic example of where community goodwill can come to the fore and help to ensure that the people's wellbeing and lives in the community are sustained, particularly for those who are in the firm and unable to fully maintain their own properties. They also provide fantastic and excellent one-off projects for great local causes, including building a Santa sleigh for our local children's hospice and also providing garden furniture to the Maricuri hospice at Stogpill hospital. All really well received and grateful for that work. The points raised by members across the chamber about what the play meant, what men don't talk meant in essence, is about how men's mental health must be treated differently from particularly in an older generation. Purpose, fulfilment, satisfaction, self-esteem, companionship and friendship are so important about men's sheds. That has to be understood in the context of our wider mental health and care strategies in Scotland. We have a tendency to over-medicalise things, but we must recognise that the softer approaches and normalisation of that approach are so critical to cost avoidance elsewhere in our public services, particularly in the national health service. I hope that the minister will take on board that opportunity for cost avoidance and the opportunity cost. Thinking about how the precarious funding that men's sheds often face is not necessarily helpful and that there can be a virtuous cycle instead of a vicious cycle and how we approach the funding of these great community assets, not just in maintaining our properties, ensuring resilience in our communities, but also fundamentally ensuring that a resilient generation builds connections across generations with young people, builds those skills and ensures that we have a much more robust and resilient community across Scotland. I thank Christine Grahame for bringing forward this debate this afternoon. Last night I hosted the Scottish Mental Health Partnership, where it launched a paper on the forthcoming Scottish Mental Health Strategy refresh. Last week I held a similar event with the Scottish Social Prescribing Network, looking at the role of link workers and other professionals in that sector. What was apparent in both events was discussions around how to engage with men who sometimes find it difficult to talk. In regards to men's sheds, there are a number of sheds in East Lothian, in Dunbar, East Linton, MacMerry, North Berwick and in Huntington. I think that it has been mentioned before that there are just around about 10,000 shedders in Scotland across all our local authorities. I had a look at the men's shed web page in its dates. Men's sheds respond to men's needs for camaraderie and provide opportunities to work together in a way that contributes meaning to their life and their communities. Scotland's men's sheds also partner with other organisations. The Scottish Men's Seds Association teamed up with Scot-Mid this week to offer Scottish men's sheds a proportional opportunity during men's health week. In 35 Scot-Mid stores, they offered a full-day exhibition space to accommodate six-week table and up to two shed representatives, and that has been on-going this week. Moray-based professional theatre company Right Lines Productions will also be partnering with Edinburgh Festival Friends this August as part of the Pleasants Theatre Trust's Edinburgh national partnerships programme. It has a brand-new production, which will debut at the Edinburgh Festival Friends this August, and it's called Man's Shed. It preffes to show with the following, how does a man find his purpose when he grows old and major life events come thick and fast? Should he retire to the solitude of the shed as usual and escape from the world, or get out and try something new? When the familiar rules no longer apply, is it too late to change the habits of a lifetime? It's described as such, men's shed is a bittersweet one-man theatre piece which explores the joy of sheds, the pain of loss and the comfort of friendship. It's played as being inspired by men's sheds around the world, but most specifically around the work by the Scottish Men's Seds Association. The run is in the Pleasants Theatre this month on August, and it runs right through the month, so try and encourage members to go and see that if they possibly can. Another fantastic organisation that helps with men's health is Andy's Man Club. Andy's Man Club are a men's mental health charity offering free-to-attend talking groups for men and challenging the stigma around male mental health. Andy's Man Club was set up by Luke Amber after the tragic loss of his brother-in-law Andy in 2016. He and Andy's Mama Lane wanted to prevent other families from going through what they had gone through. The idea was to stop families going through this just to help other guys. The idea of Andy's Man Club was born at that stage. Last week I watched a group of men from Andy's Man Club take part in the number civic week parade under the banner of Andy's Man Club. I was humbled to attend one of their meetings, whereas we all openly talked about our mental health issues. There are still stigmas associated with men's mental health. Those stigmas are seen as weakness, burden and embarrassment are what stop men from speaking out. Men's Sheds and Andy's Man Club are helping to pave the way for men to know that it is okay to talk. It takes strength and is encouraged to open up about your struggles. Men's Shed and Andy's Man Club do an amazing job on helping men to know what they can do to talk to someone. Thank you. I am very supportive of the men's sheds in my constituency. I just want to take this time to thank Jason Shroud, a chief executive and founder of the men's Shed movement, who operates the Scottish Men's Shed Association from an office in Bancury, which I am delighted to personally support. I refer members to my register of interests. Also, my constituency is West Hill and District Men's Shed. They were first ever men's sheds set up in Scotland in 2013. It now welcomes over 300 members. I want to recognise that it was voted Scottish Men's Shed of a Year in 2021 and received a Queen's Award for Voluntary Service during the pandemic. For many men's sheds, men's sheds and men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds, men's sheds. The United Nations has voted for Voluntary Service during the pandemic. For many men's sheds, there are life support, providing a space for men to engage with one another, overcoming challenges such as loneliness and the stigma around mental health. But sadly, since the pandemic, we have lost some sheds, and that is due to post-COVID fatigue of shed trustees and financial pressures. However, the pandemic has shown the real need for new healthy male places to socialise with eight new shed groups requiring support in the last few months. It is disappointing, therefore, to hear that men's sheds are not receiving the proper long-term support from the Scottish Government. Despite a positive meeting, the Scottish Men's Shed Association had with the Minister back in February, who spoke of trilateral portfolio funding possibilities. There have been no assurances of support despite being chased until yesterday. Some might say that it is cynically timed to give the Minister something to say in today's debate. However, the support that we are just about to hear for is just £75,000. This is only for one year, and it was just 17 per cent of what was requested, falling well short of the requirement to prevent the collapse of a shed's movement. The Minister went so far as to tell the Scottish Men's Sheds Association to seek alternative funding next year. I have only one question for the Minister. Was £25,000 each really the best that he, Christina McKelvie and Kevin Stewart could spare from their budgets, and will he today commit to supporting sheds beyond March next year? Thank you very much. I invite the Minister now to respond to the debate. Mr Arthur, for up to seven minutes, please. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I begin by joining colleagues in congratulating and thanking Christine Grahame for once again bringing a debate on men's sheds to the Parliament. I can also join colleagues in welcoming sheds to the gallery and commending everyone involved in the men don't talk play. Indeed, it is in testament to the positive impact that men's sheds have on communities across Scotland that we are again debating it, and I very much welcome the debate as an opportunity to demonstrate their positive impact on health and wellbeing, support for older people, especially men, but not exclusively men, and enabling resilient communities as Paul Swinney articulated. The original movement, as was highlighted by Maggie Chapman, started in Australia in the 1980s and was set up to improve men's health. A place where men could socialise and talk shoulder to shoulder. Today there are over 900 sheds in Australia with other countries adopting men's sheds worldwide. Here in Scotland the movement started in 2009, and by 2013 we had our first five sheds. Today that number, as the chamber has already heard, is over 200. This is in no small part, down to the vision of Jason Shorder, who is the chief executive and founder of the Scottish Men's Sheds Association. He started the men's shed movement in Scotland in 2009, after being inspired by a talk about men's sheds by Dr Neil Bruce, chairman of New Zealand Men's Sheds. In 2014 Jason created the SNSA, and the Scottish Government became involved in 2015. The early discussions led to the Scottish Government funding the new SNSA in 2015-16, which helped to establish and grow the movement. Our support played its part in enabling Jason to become the executive officer of the SNSA in 2016 and continue the growth of the organisation that touches on every corner of Scotland with 2,899 members and 10,627 shedders and supporters. Jason has played his highly commendable part in this growth, building the association into a team of four, with him as chief executive officer, a communications and public relations officer, a development officer and an administrator. We have continued to back the SNSA with sustained support, and earlier this week, and a backdrop of an exceptionally challenging financial environment, I wrote to Jason with an offer of core funding for 2022-23. That said, the SNSA must be able to adapt to the demands of another increasing number of sheds and also to help to sustain and keep existing sheds open. We are committed to helping Jason to respond to those needs and to build a sustainable business model for the SNSA that can attract a wider range of funders and reduce dependency on Scottish Government support alone. For example, tapping into the upcoming social isolation and loneliness fund, an integral part of our programme for government commitment to invest £10 million over the next five years to tackle social isolation and loneliness across Scotland's communities. We recognise that men's sheds provide more than just a physical place for activities. We enable a space for people to talk to each other. For example, in Scotland, there are men's sheds that have provided vital support to veterans who have missed comradeship and the sense of belonging. Challenges with mental health have touched every aspect of life in Scotland, and it has never been more important to continue talking about mental wellbeing. We must use such opportunities to prevent and address mental health issues with the same commitment, passion and drive as we do with physical health problems. Many mental health problems are preventable and almost all are treatable, so people can either fully recover or manage their conditions successfully and live as healthy, happy and productive lives as possible. The range of activities found in men's sheds plays into this preventative health agenda. It also benefits wider communities in a range of ways such as making body benches for schools as we are hearing about, or providing classes in operating tools or craft projects. I have still to take up, as Mr O'Kane has, the offer of these particular instructional opportunities in Barhead, but perhaps that is something that we can do together. In responding to Mr O'Kane's specific ask for the community asset transfer process, I am more than happy to meet the member to discuss in more detail. Alexander Burnett. I thank the minister for that intervention and he has very eloquently gone over all the benefits that sheds provide. He has also finished talking about the funding piece and he has not committed to funding beyond March next year. Could I just ask him to revisit that question? Minister. As the member knows, we have set out broad parameters on our public send spending within an RSR. Specific budget decisions are taking at that, but the budget process. There is obviously a great deal of uncertainty still, even with the RSR, as to what our financial position would be. I recognise the nature of members' debates. I do not want Mr Descend into something overly political. However, the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission has already stated on the record that we are operating in the context of the real-terms 5.2 per cent reduction in our budget. Unfortunately, that means that we are challenged in how much support we can provide, however much we would wish to do so. However, I will touch on matters pertaining to funding further on in my remarks. Scottish evidence gathered to support the growth of main sheds is considerable and complements international research. For example, main sheds provide positive views of ageing and later in life. Mr Swinney touched on the importance of intergenerational solidarity and I am conscious that that is something that main sheds can provide. The evidence that is referenced in the Scottish Government funded the shared effects study by Age Scotland. That highlighted that 76 per cent of those surveyed agreed that their physical health improved and 79 per cent felt that their mental health improved as a result of shared involvement. Those benefits are also felt in the wider community with savings to our health and social care systems. SMSA research highlighted that for every £1 spent on West Hill main shed, there was a return of £9.34 in terms of health and social care and community learning outcomes. There are also many other community projects that can achieve similar positive outcomes. In response to the pandemic and in recognition of the value of grassroots wellbeing projects, last year we launched our community's mental health and wellbeing fund. Through this, we provided £21 million to more than 1,800 local projects to deliver activities and programmes with a further £15 million invested this year. The fund tackles the impacts of social isolation, loneliness and mental health inequalities on adults. I am particularly pleased that there is also supported main sheds group across Scotland. Those include Port Levenshed and Aberdeenshire, mentioned by Audrey Nicol, which used funding to broaden services in response to increased numbers following the pandemic, and the forfer main shed, which used funding to build a new community allotment. The community's fund is one element of a range of work that we are taking forward and supporting positive mental health and wellbeing in Scotland. The central to that is the refresh of our mental health strategy. Alongside delivering effective services, we have an opportunity to place increasing emphasis on prevention and early intervention. That will enable us to build on the creative project that people, communities and services have undertaken both before and during the pandemic. In the conscious of time, I would like to return to a key point that Christine Grahame made. That is the third time that main sheds have been debated in the chamber, something that we can all welcome. We all recognise the important role that we play. This is a debate that now needs to move on from sheds simply being great things. That is something that I am confident that we agree on. Now we need to know who will join us in the support of this great initiative. Partners such as local authorities, third sector, NHS, private sector and community workers alike can all play a role in developing funding and supporting the SNSA and the main shed movement. Let's build on what's been achieved and take main sheds in Scotland to the next level so that all our communities can benefit from them. Minister, that concludes the debate, and I suspend this meeting of Parliament until 2 o'clock.