Men's shed for women...is that a thing?

[BrickingIt44]

Men's sheds is an organisation set up to improve men's mental health because they're more likely not to seek help or have anyone to talk to than women. It's a great cause, I fully support it. But is there anything like that for women?

The assumption seems to be that women have people to talk to about their mental health - friends, sisters, family etc. But what about those of us who have no one?

I have family (just parents, no partner or kids) but I can't talk to them. I don't have any friends but of the friends I've had in the past we never talked about things like that.
I know there are groups for women like the WI but it's not the same sort of thing. Is there a group for us lonely weirdo women with no one to talk to? With or without the woodworking element?

I'd ask my local men's shed if I could join but I don't know if that would make anyone uncomfortable.

I’m also interested in this.

In the area that we live the Men in Sheds were open to men and women

Of course you shouldn't ask to join the men's shed.
When you describe yourself as a "weirdo" is that just an off the cuff remark or do you feel it more deeply? There will be groups for women with ASD for example to meet. Or there can be talking therapies you can access through your GP or local charities.
I'm not sure if you just want a supportive chat or if you are feeling that things are very hard for you right now.

Ask at your doctors or look at notice boards in libraries and community centres. I know that my GP facilitates several women only coffee mornings a month for different reasons - menopause support, depression and anxiety, new mums etc. There are a few walking groups that are community led, hobby groups like knitting, sewing, painting etc. the outdoor pursuits centre do a womens group every Tuesday where they do outdoorsy activities but it’s also just an opportunity for women to get together, make friends, talk and they occasionally have guest speakers on specific topics.

Does your GP practice have a social prescriber? They should be able to point you in the right direction

Fucking hell, no. Imagine the uproar if you were in a woman’s group that a man demanded to join. This is a men’s group for men. Find a women’s group for women.

Actually most mens sheds do now accept woman over the age of 40...

I would be very interested in this too. Is it in person or online?

Ask your local one if it's open to women, and if it's not, open one. I'm sure they would be happy to draw on their own experience and help you do that.

Men's Sheds were set up because, outside of sport, there were few opportunities for men to meet up informally with people they don't know. For women there are the Rural and Women's Institutes, the National Women's Register (formerly National Housewives' Register), Knit and Natter clubs, Women's Guild and Book Clubs are almost exclusively attended by women. There are also all sorts of exercise clubs which are mainly women - pilates, Zumba, dancercise etc

Have a look at the notice board in your local library or community centre.

Men’s sheds also take women.

See if there's anything available at any local place of worship?
My local CofE church has a weekly coffee morning where among other things there are people available to listen if anyone wants to talk. They also run a knit and natter group on a different day.

My local Men’s Shed are open to all on certain days- it’s definitely worth asking if that’s something they do

@culty do, would you expect a ‘women’s shed’ to happily accept men?

ETA - just do a search on here about women’s knitting/crochet groups accepting men.

I think it's awful that men's sheds have started accepting women. It was set up to be a single sex space where men could talk freely about mental health with other men in a similar situation.

I do understand op, I don't actually think women are that supportive of each other, a lot I know love to fan the flames for drama and only listen because they want to gossip behind your back.

But there are proper support groups, your doctors surgery probably has a board with them advertised. They'll be facilitated and carefully run.

I would be interested in this but being completely honest, I'm not prepared to set one up.

Also, I get the impression in the men's shed one is much more about hanging out. I don't want a group directed at talking about mental health.

We have lots of groups in My area but it's divided up as a previous poster said

So there's various aspects of mental health and addiction
Mums
Menopause

there's no general women's chat

At some point, I will try the church which generally meets during my working day but I have a feeling that's the best fit for me. So next time I can go along on that working day, I will try that.

I will say, if you did want any of those specific groups in my area, you've got a lot of choice. But I think a lot of this stuff doesn't get advertised online. I see leaflets at the library.

Our mens shed accepts women. Sometimes they also meet on their own - depends on how many there are.

the WI, although not for everyone, has groups within it such as walking groups, book clubs and craft groups so it is way more than just the monthly meetings. And that is often how friendships develop in those off-shoot groups.

My local Men’s Shed has a She Shed once a month.

Why don’t you have any friends OP?

I go to a Women’s Shed (I’m in Frome). Ask the Men’s Shed for help and advice on setting up a Women’s Shed.

Have a look at ‘Frazzled’ which is the organisation set up by Ruby Wax. They do meetings online and in person although not sure where the ‘real life’ meetings are. It might not be what you are looking for but worth checking out.

Which is fine, she’s asking if there is something similar but for women. I would also like to know. I wanna make cool stuff and shoot the shit with new people. I get lonely even though I have friends and a partner and would love to do the woodworking stuff with other women.

There are a few Women's sheds near me in Ireland.

This is a She Shed, which seems similar. Set one up if you feel the urge and there isn't one near you?
www.sheshed.org.uk/

I don't know if it is still the case but Meet Up website might be worth checking.
An ex colleague of mine got a lot out of a women's group organised on meetup.

I like this idea. I work in a fairly male heavy environment and one of the problems of “women going into men’s areas” is that the
men in there use us as agony aunts!

My view of men’s sheds is to give the men somewhere to go (away from us!). I’d not want to attend and have half of the offloading on to me! But a she shed once a month would be cool, particularly if they removed the power tools and replaced them with sewing and knitting machines 🤣