Econ Engineering, the UK’s leading manufacturer of winter maintenance and highways vehicles, has donated £15,000 to three Men’s Sheds located near its depots in Cardiff, Alloa and its Ripon HQ.
The UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA) is a charity dedicated to creating spaces where people can connect, share skills and work on practical projects in a friendly, relaxed environment.
Recognising the immense benefits of Men’s Sheds, Econ Engineering has given a £5,000 contribution directly to goodShed in Cardiff, part of Men’s Sheds, to support their ongoing initiatives.
goodShed aims to improve physical and mental health by offering a welcoming workshop where members can forge friendships, share life experiences and develop new skills. The £5,000 will be used to rent a container, providing a dedicated base for the project for the first time.
Colin Trewhitt, Econ Factory Manager, said: “At Econ, we are proud to support Men’s Sheds across the UK, including goodShed in Cardiff, with donations of £5,000 each. We’ve seen first-hand the incredible impact these Sheds have on local communities, providing a place where people can come together, share skills, and combat loneliness.
“Having learned about the vital role Sheds play in strengthening community ties, we felt it was important to help them continue this valuable work. We hope these contributions will make a meaningful difference and help each Shed thrive.”
Richard Melhuish, Secretary at goodShed, said: “From the time that we started the goodShed group, we have struggled with the lack of our own work and social space. Often during the colder months we have gathered in a cold, draughty wooden shelter.
“We had planned to apply for grant funding in order for us to rent a cabin at Railway Gardens. Out of the blue we received a very generous offer of a donation from Econ which will enable us to rent our own space.
“This is an exciting step forward for our group and the local community. A massive thank you to Econ staff and the company for choosing to support the Men’s Shed movement and the goodShed in particular.”
Family-run Econ Engineering is the UK’s leading manufacturer of winter and highway maintenance vehicles. Recently, the company launched the E-QCB, the first fully electric model of its kind.
Econ, which has been established for more than 55 years, has its main manufacturing base in Ripon, with engineering hubs in Alloa, Scotland, Sowerby, Thrisk, Halesworth, Suffolk and Cardiff.
