Scottish Men's Sheds Association

What Scottish Men's Sheds Association does

Scottish Men's Sheds Association (SMSA) is a registered Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO, Charity No: SC045139), founded in 2014 and headquartered in Banchory, Aberdeenshire, that operates as Scotland's national body for the Men's Sheds movement under the positioning "In Scotland, For Scotland." The organisation supports, advises, and represents Men's Sheds—community spaces where men come together to socialise, learn skills, and work on projects to reduce isolation and improve mental and physical health—through a two-tier membership model (free Individual Membership and £25/year Shed Membership), regional Development Officer support across Scotland's three geographic regions, an OSCR-compliant Shed resource library, and the Shed-Wise preventative health programme.

Its technology stack is deliberately lightweight: a WordPress website hosting a 120+ page resource library with downloadable templates and policies, an interactive Find a Shed map built on Google Maps with status filtering (Open, Closed, In Development, Proposed), and The Scottish Shedder bi-monthly digital magazine distributed via email and social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube). No mobile app, public API, SDK, or MCP server is offered. Distribution combines a self-serve digital membership funnel with a field-based community model where three part-time Development Officers physically support new Shed formation across the East Coast, West Coast, and Highlands/Islands regions, backed by regional Shed Network Meetings and an annual SMSA National Gathering.

Revenue mechanics operate on a charity model anchored by a small recurring subscription component (80 Shed Members × £25 = ~£2,000/year), supplemented by donations (PayPal, CAF, Easyfundraising, eBay for Charity, legacy giving via wills), affiliate referral income from a 10-vendor discount partner ecosystem (notably Axminster Tools, Citrus Energy, Greenwood Moreland Insurance, David Young Training, Thyme Accountants, and CP&Co), and institutional grants from the Scottish Government, National Lottery Community Fund, and Bank of Scotland Foundation. Membership benefits include discounted insurance, tools, electricity, training, accountancy, Community Learning Exchange funding (up to £1,000), and online access to the Australian Men's Sheds Association Interactive Shed Manual.

Name

Scottish Men's Sheds Association

Legal name

Scottish Men's Sheds Association

Website

https://scottishmsa.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scottish Men's Sheds Association is a registered Scottish charity that supports, advises, and represents the 296+ Men's Sheds across Scotland—community spaces helping men reduce isolation and improve mental and physical health—through a two-tier membership model (free Individual and £25/year Shed Membership), regional Development Officer support, OSCR-compliant resources, and the Shed-Wise preventative health programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Men's Health Charity Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Men's health charity
• Community shed network
• Membership association services
• Community development support
• Wellbeing programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Banchory

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Shed Membership Fees: Annual Shed membership at £25 per year for existing Men's Sheds or Shed Developing Groups, providing access to all member benefits including discounted insurance, tools, electricity, training, and resources
2. Donations: Direct donations through PayPal and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), one-off and regular payment options; legacy donations through wills; shopping referrals through Easyfundraising and eBay for Charity
3. Individual Membership (Free): Free individual membership providing supporter engagement and magazine subscription, building the membership base for advocacy and community growth

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scottish Men's Sheds Association is a registered Scottish charity that supports, advises and represents Men's Sheds through a two-tier membership programme: free Individual Membership for supporters and £25/year Shed Membership for community Men's Sheds and developing groups. Its core offering comprises the Shed Resource Library (templates, OSCR-compliant constitutions and policies), the Find a Shed interactive map, the Shed-Wise preventative health programme, The Scottish Shedder bi-monthly magazine, the SMSA National Gathering, and discounts through negotiated partner programmes covering insurance, tools, electricity, training and accounts.

Product overview

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association operates a two-tier membership model offering Individual Membership (free) and Shed Membership (£25/year). The core offering includes the Find a Shed online map, comprehensive resource library with constitution and policy templates, Shed-Wise preventative health programme, The Scottish Shedder magazine, national events (Gathering and Awards), and Community Asset Transfer support. Shed Members receive discounted insurance, tools, electricity, training, and access to the Australian Men’s Sheds Association interactive manual. Development Officers provide regional support across Scotland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shed-Wise: Shedders' Health Empowerment Drive for Wellness, Information, Signposting & Engagement - a preventative men's health programme delivered directly in Scottish Men's Sheds covering topics including diabetes, heart health, alcohol and smoking risks, blood pressure, AAA, dementia, and cancer awareness.

Products and services

• Individual Membership Free membership for individual supporters of the Scottish Men's Sheds Movement. Provides welcome pack, lapel pin badge, bi-monthly Scottish Shedder magazine, access to events, conferences, AGM, and the Scottish Men's Shed of the Year Awards voting.
• Shed Membership Annual membership at £25 per year for existing Men's Sheds or Shed Developing Groups. Includes insurance discounts through Greenwood Moreland, tool discounts at Axminster (10%), cheap electricity through Citrus Energy, training discounts through David Young Training, accounts package at £30/month from Thyme Accountants, Community Learning Exchange funding eligibility (up to £1,000), Shed-specific OSCR-approved constitutions and policies, and access to the AMSA Interactive Manual.
• Shed-Wise Health Programme Preventative health initiative delivered by SMSA Development Officers in Scottish Men's Sheds, covering diabetes, heart health, alcohol and smoking risks, blood pressure, AAA, dementia, cancer awareness and coping skills. Free for SMSA Shed Members.
• The Scottish Shedder Magazine Bi-monthly digital magazine delivered by email, showcasing stories, case studies and latest developments from Sheds across Scotland. Included with Individual Membership.
• SMSA National Gathering Annual national event bringing Shed representatives together for networking, updates, guest speakers and professional development.
• Scottish Men's Shed of the Year Awards Annual awards programme celebrating outstanding Men's Sheds and their contributions to men's health and community wellbeing across Scotland, voted on by SMSA Individual Members.
• Community Learning Exchange Funded programme delivered in partnership with the Scottish Community Alliance providing Shed Members with up to £1,000 per visit to cover 100% of travel and subsistence for Shed-to-Shed visits, enabling peer learning across the network.
• Shed Development Advisory Services Expert advisory service for groups seeking to start a Men's Shed, providing guidance on SCIO registration, constitution templates, funding applications, insurance, health and safety, and governance documentation, delivered by SMSA Development Officers and supported by the Shed Resource Library.
• Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Process Support Service delivered in partnership with the Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) to help Scottish Men's Sheds acquire buildings through Community Asset Transfer under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. Process typically takes 18 months on average.
• Find a Shed Map Interactive Scottish map (Google Maps integrated) showing the location and details of Men's Sheds across Scotland, with filtering by status (Open, Closed, In Development, Proposed). Publicly available to help prospective Shedders and their families locate a local Men's Shed.
• Shed Manual & Resources Library Comprehensive online resource library of over 120+ pages containing constitution templates, policies, health and safety documents, funding guidance, governance materials compliant with Scottish law (OSCR), and access to the Australian Men's Sheds Association Interactive Manual. Available to SMSA Shed Members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,200+ men attending Scottish Sheds
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Axminster ToolscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAxminster Tools offers SMSA Shed Members a 10% discount on tools and machinery. Sheds must contact SMSA first to set up an exclusive SMSA/Axminster account. Cannot be combined with other offers; excludes power tools (Bosch, Makita, Festool, DeWalt). Exemptions apply for promotional items.
• Citrus EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCitrus Energy Ltd provides SMSA Shed Members with the cheapest electricity deal for their Shed, helping reduce costs, plus free impartial energy advice. Deal not available to the public, only SMSA Shed Members. Citrus is a social enterprise providing advice on gas, electricity, and water.
• Community Ownership Support Service (COSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMSA works with COSS to help Scottish Men's Sheds acquire buildings through Community Asset Transfer. COSS is funded by Scottish Government to support community-based groups take ownership of land or buildings. Process typically takes 18 months on average.
• CP&CominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCP&Co provides professional design, branding and print support at 10% discount exclusively for SMSA Shed members.
• CromwellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCromwell offers discounted pricing for SMSA Shed Members in-line with their largest industry customers.
• David Young TrainingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDavid Young Training provides discounted machine competence and woodwork training courses exclusively for SMSA Shed Members. Special pricing available for Shed members.
• Greenwood Moreland Insurance BrokerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSMSA's insurance partner providing bespoke Men Shed insurance packages at discounted rates. Greenwood Moreland is a charity and community insurance specialist broker established over 40 years. Services include Contents, Employers Liability, Public Liability, Stock, Trustee Indemnity, and Buildings coverage.
• Prostate ScotlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProstate Scotland partners with SMSA to run the 'Living Well with Prostate Cancer course' in partnership with Ayrshire Cancer Support and Maggie's Centres across Scotland, providing health awareness for Shed members.
• Scottish Community AlliancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerScottish Community Alliance's Community Learning Exchange funds Shed-to-Shed visits up to £1,000, covering 100% of travel and subsistence expenses including host fees. SMSA Shed Members can apply through SMSA endorsement to SCA. Funding also available for virtual learning experiences.
• Thyme AccountantscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThyme Accountants provides SMSA Shed Members with a tailored accounts package at a discounted monthly rate of £30.
• Australian Men's Sheds Association (AMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMSA provides SMSA Shed Members with online access to the Interactive Shed Manual - the quintessential guide for developing and operational Men's Sheds. Since July 2012, 5,200+ copies have been downloaded internationally. Manual has two sections: 'How to Start' and 'How to Run'.
• Glasgow Caledonian UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Glasgow Caledonian University's four-year 'Sheds for Sustainable Development Project' (2017-2021) which produced peer-reviewed briefings, research publications, and the first Men’s Shed Toolkit for the UK and Ireland.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Age UK: Broader UK incumbent addressing social isolation and loneliness in older people—the same core problem SMSA targets in men. Much larger scale, broader demographic, and competing for the same donor and grant pool; provides a useful comparable on national charity scale.
• Royal Voluntary Service: Large UK volunteering charity addressing social isolation and community connection among older adults. Comparable thematic mission to SMSA at significantly greater scale, with overlapping grant and donor sources.
• Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH): Scotland's largest mental health charity. Overlaps with SMSA's mental-health and suicide-prevention mission but operates at much greater scale and a broader demographic; competes for the same Scottish Government health-grant pool.
• Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO): National umbrella body for Scotland's third sector. SCVO supports SMSA's member charities with infrastructure, policy advocacy, and funding access, and provides a comparable governance model for Scottish charity federations.

Others

• Campaign to End Loneliness: UK-wide charity coalition addressing the same social-isolation problem SMSA's Men's Sheds are designed to solve. Not a direct competitor but a thematic peer and potential policy/advocacy ally.

Direct peers

• UK Men's Sheds Association: Direct peer and the England/Wales equivalent body that SMSA was created to differentiate from. Operates the same membership-and-resource model for Men's Sheds but covers different UK nations; the two are sister organisations with overlapping but distinct geographies.
• Australian Men's Sheds Association (AMSA): International peer and origin of the Men's Shed movement's modern form. SMSA distributes the AMSA Interactive Manual to its Shed Members, indicating a content and best-practice partnership; AMSA operates a materially similar national federation model across Australia.
• Men's Sheds Ireland: Direct peer operating the same federation-and-support model across Ireland. Like SMSA, it represents a national umbrella for community Men's Sheds and is co-addressed in the jointly developed UK and Ireland Shed Toolkit.

Emerging players

• Prostate Scotland: Scottish men's health charity and active SMSA partner (delivers 'Living Well with Prostate Cancer' courses inside Men's Sheds). Comparable mission in men's health awareness, with overlapping but distinct focus on prostate cancer.
• Men's Sheds New Zealand: International peer and origin country of the global Men's Shed movement (Dr Neil Bruce, who influenced SMSA's founder, chaired this body). Operates a similar national federation model but at a smaller scale than AMSA or SMSA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ScottishMSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/scottishmensshedsassociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/ScottishMensShedsAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scottishmsa
• Instagraminstagram.com/scottishmsa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Scottish Men's Sheds Association