A shedload of opportunities

One for the guys out there next weekend, when June and Rachel will be talking about men and sheds - or, to be more precise, about men IN sheds...

For many chaps (Rachel's husband Dean included!), a shed at the bottom of the garden is a favourite place to escape to for a bit of peace and quiet. But did you know that more than 11,000 men across the UK head to a shed for precisely the opposite reason?

Like John Nelson and Dez Williams, who'll be joining the Girls Around Town on Sunday, they're all Men in Sheds, a nationwide group supported by the UK Men's Sheds Organisation, which was founded in 2013 to help raise awareness of the social and health benefits of Men’s Sheds in reducing isolation and loneliness and in empowering local communities.

Over the last five years, the number of sheds up and running has grown from around 30 to more than 460, with another 133 currently in development. And for those 11,000-plus Shedders, they're places where they can share experiences, knowledge and skills while making friends for life with others who share interests and a common purpose.

It gives me a reason to get up in the morning... I feel a sense of worth and love the way all of the men work together

Tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon to hear John and Dez explain why they joined the Collingham Shed, what they and their fellow members get up to there and, above all, the difference being Shedders has made to their lives.

And, if you're a man without a shed, to find out how to join them or track down a Shed near you...