Shropshire brewery joins wellbeing campaign in Westminster
A Shropshire brewery is supporting a mental health and wellbeing initiative which saw a shed placed in Parliament for a week.
Hobsons Brewery is backing the UK Men’s Sheds Association’s initiative to raise awareness of men’s mental health and wellbeing.
Hobsons, based in Cleobury Mortimer, joined the charity on Wednesday when it transformed Portcullis House at the Palace of Westminster into ‘The Parliament Shed’ – which will be used as a temporary Men’s Shed to highlight the health, wellbeing and social benefits of community-run Men’s Sheds.
The campaign will also see the award-winning brewery donate a small profit from each sale of a new alcohol-free beer to the charity, designed in collaboration with UKMSA, which will be officially launched just in time for Father’s Day in June.
Nick Davis, founder of Hobsons Brewery, said: “We’re delighted to have joined the association in raising vital awareness of its work in supporting the health and wellbeing of men.
"The charity offers a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, practice skills, and enjoy making and mending. It promotes social connections and friendship building through sharing skills and knowledge.
“The latest campaign is a great cause to get behind and we’re very excited to soon be unveiling our new beer, where proceeds from each sale will go into supporting the charity and its amazing work. We hope ‘shedders’ will be able to enjoy a bottle after spending time working on a project at their shed.”
In addition to Hobsons’ support, there were also expert partners from Zero Suicide Alliance, Men's Health Forum and the Centre for Ageing Better in attendance, where they had the opportunity to explain their causes and promote the benefits of their work to MPs.
Topics discussed included suicide prevention, mental health, men’s health, and loneliness.
Charlie Bethel, chief executive officer at UKMSA, said: “We’re very grateful for support from Hobsons Brewery to showcase how community projects such as Men’s Sheds can be transformative for ‘shedders’, their families and the wider community.”
He continued: “Men’s Sheds work because they are a simple concept that people can relate to. Whether it’s a shed building bird boxes or mending football boots and bikes to give to disadvantaged children in their communities, you can see a real pride and sense of achievement in everyone who comes through the door of one of our sheds.
"Up to 96 per cent of shedders felt less lonely after joining a Men’s Shed.”
