Helping to solve male loneliness

It is very easy to go through life and not realise the effects of loneliness.

My wife has loads of friends and she regularly meets up with them for coffee or a meal. I have friends but my relationship with them is different. I rarely socialise with them.

I have a great set of friends from university (even though that was over 30 years ago). We try and meet up once a year and when we do it is like we have never been apart; conversation is easy and we can talk about anything.

I have a few friends who are through my kids growing up, either parents from their school lives or through them doing different activities. I have a few friends from work.

I have a lot of friends from church and some of these are from previous churches. The church we are at now has a very active men’s group and this has really helped to build friendships; men I can talk to about life.

However I’m not sure who I would say is my best friend.

As we get older, it becomes even more common for loneliness to be a factor. This was highlighted for me recently when my father-in-law passed away. My wife passed on lots of his clothes to other residents who don’t have family or don’t have any visitors.

Having said that, it is not all doom and gloom.

A recent article on the BBC website highlighted a concept called “The Shed”. In the words of the organisation that runs it:

Men’s Sheds encourage people to come together to make, repair and repurpose, supporting projects in their local communities.

This organisation provides a way and a purpose for men to meet up, connect, do something practical and also make a difference. They have Sheds all over the UK.

I’m not very practical with my hands, I am more likely to destroy something than fix it, but I think this is a brilliant initiative and it is making a small, but growing, dent in the world.

Links

Meet the DIY group for men fixing loneliness and loss

Men’s Shed Association

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