Inverclyde Shed - Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund

"The support from the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund will be crucial in developing our activities in Port Glasgow by providing a classroom / wellbeing space within our community garden"

Third sector organisations had the opportunity to apply for the Scottish Government’s communities mental health and wellbeing fund at the start of this year. CVS Inverclyde administered the fund and recently awarded over £338,000 split between 20 organisations who will use the money to fund projects to support mental health and wellbeing in our communities.

Inverclyde Shed was one of the local organisations awarded funding. The purpose of The Inverclyde (Community) Shed is to provide recreational facilities and advance the social needs, health and wellbeing of people living locally. The Inverclyde Shed aims to reduce isolation of people in the area thus contributing to their physical and mental wellbeing and developing the capacity of people in the Inverclyde area to share their skills and knowledge with others in the community.

We chatted to Bruce Newlands, Inverclyde Shed trustee and treasurer, about how the fund will help the organisation and its aims.

“The support from the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund will be crucial in developing our activities in Port Glasgow by providing a classroom / wellbeing space within our community garden. Having this facility will allow us to widen our reach and activities in the garden, providing opportunities for anyone in Inverclyde to meet, make, grow & share in a peaceful & green space. People will be able to come and volunteer on a regular basis or just pop in occasionally to chat about gardening and get a cuppa & blether, we have polytunnels, raised planters, beehives and an orchard.

“We’ve noticed over the pandemic, particularly lockdown periods, just how important external space is and how it can provide real respite for people to take some time out, enjoy nature and focus on activities that are in a safe setting and include working alongside others, tackling social isolation.

“We see the impact social isolation has on our communities, this has been exacerbated by COVID. It’s crucial that the third sector, particularly voluntary groups embedded in the community like The Inverclyde Shed are supported to tackle this social isolation, providing opportunities for activities and building lasting peer support networks & friendships. This support from the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund will help us do exactly that for the long term."

Find out more about Inverclyde Shed on their website.

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