Dungiven Men's Shed win at Northern Ireland Housing Executive's Rural Community Awards

Dungiven Men’s Shed has secured a £1,000 prize as part of this year’s Housing Executive’s Rural Community Awards.

Situated in the town known as the gateway to the north Sperrins, this project offers many workshops ranging from joinery to guitar lessons to encourage men to meet together and discover new skills and build lasting friendships.

Held this year in The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine the annual Rural Community Awards event provides a showcase for individuals and groups undertaking outstanding volunteering work at grassroots level in rural areas across Northern Ireland, helping maintain local neighbourhoods and boosting civic pride.

Hilary Canning, Housing Executive Assistant Area Manager for Causeway Coast and Glens District said: “A big well done to Dungiven Men’s Shed on their well-deserved award as they took top prize in our Community Spirit section.

“They are to be commended for their outstanding work in the area.

“It is evident that this project has had a significantly positive impact on the mental health and well-being of the men that come here.

“By giving back to the community in the way that they do I am in no doubt that these men will inspire others to come and get involved in the fantastic projects on offer at Dungiven Men’s shed.”

Raymond Brady, Project Coordinator, Dungiven Men’s Shed said: “We are delighted to have won such a prestigious award.

“When I got word that we had been nominated for this award I was delighted and even more so when I was told we had won.

“It’s a great honour for me personally for the project to be recognized in this way.

“I love volunteering here and seeing the difference the men’s shed makes to many men.

“A lot of the wives tell me that they can see a marked difference in their partners too.

“We have made all kinds of products using the fantastic range of tools that we received via Housing Executive funding.

“One of our most popular products are our bird box kits which we take into schools for the children to assemble.

“They love doing this.

“We also made a storage shed for one of the local primary schools and a teacher’s storytelling chair with seats for the children.

“The men’s shed has been on the go since 2020 and we were very lucky to get the premises here which used to be JJ Coyle Builders Merchants.

“May we continue for many years to come.”