Head to the bar for a pint of Men In Sheds

Welbeck Abbey Brewery has partnered with Age UK Nottinghamshire to create a new cask ale to help raise funds and awareness for the charity’s ground-breaking project for older men.
Members of the Worksop shed enjoy a pint of their new beer at the brewery.Members of the Worksop shed enjoy a pint of their new beer at the brewery.
Members of the Worksop shed enjoy a pint of their new beer at the brewery.

The new beer is called Men In Sheds and is named after the Age UK community project that has helped older men to escape isolation and find support and friendship.

A group of men from the local Worksop branch of the project worked with Welbeck’s head brewer James Gladman to hand-craft the new beer.

It was officially launched at the brewery this week and will feature in local pubs throughout Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire during February and March.

Men In Sheds is a true 4.8 per cent English IPA using UK cascade and jester hops and boasts citrus and floral flavours.

At the launch event, Welbeck Abbey Brewery staff mingled with the members and volunteers from the local Worksop shed.

Bob, a long time member of the shed, arrived late with his very loving family in tow.

A heckler immediately shouted ‘where ‘ave you been Bob, Scunthorpe?’

Everyone erupted with laughter – it’s an insiders joke (Bob has been known to get lost) and this banter between mates is what ‘the shed’ is all about, mates getting together within the environment of a workshop and claiming back their independence and confidence.

Wanting to help the ageing generation to flourish and feel free from isolation, Age UK implemented the Men In Sheds project.

Originally an Australian concept, men in sheds is focused on meeting the needs, health, wellbeing and interests of older men.

The men talk shoulder-to-shoulder, not face-to-face, their shed is a safe place to share and discover new skills and rebuild lives.

The charity provides the shed (workshop), tools and equipment and a team of volunteers.

However, the members take control of the day-to-day running of the shed and set the day’s activities which include woodworking and social events.

Ten pence from the sale of every pint of Men In Sheds will go directly to the Worksop shed, which opened in 2014 and is the flagship ‘shed’ for the region.