A service has been set up in the west of the island for people to get together, and share and learn new skills.

Western Men in Sheds has been set up by charity Western Community Initiatives, which focuses on providing facilities for recreation and leisure to improve people’s quality of life.

Committee member for Western Men in Sheds Mike Webb, who is also a qualified electrician, says it will gather people of ‘like mind’.

He said: ‘We’ll have a skill base there, with engineers, joiners, plumbers, electricians and many others already signed up.

‘We’ve got a wide scope of people to come in and say “I’ll do this for you” or “I’ll teach someone”.

‘Community nurses are very much drivers of this. What they’ve found is people who deal with isolation problems, some of them mental problems, they are looking for a community activity.

‘My goal is to be inclusive for everyone. There were 15 to 20 women at the opening.

‘It’s being able to give something back to the community where everything’s a throw away society and we don’t want to be.’

The group’s first task will be to make its base at The Garage on Derby Road, Peel, a warm space. ‘That way we can bring them in and even if they’re not members of the club they can come in, have a cup of tea, and see what’s going on,’ Mike said.

Members will also be creating signs for Glen Maye to be installed on its footpaths from the waterfall to the beach, describing flora and fauna, as well as repair dilapidated benches around Peel.

Membership forms will be released on westernmeninsheds.com soon.