After seeing a documentary on TV about a project called Men in Sheds in Australia, Barry Cooper, decided Hull needed a Shed. Having suffered from multiple strokes, Barry, a retired chef, thought the project would help local men suffering from social isolation and loneliness due to illness, bereavement, retirement or financial problems, find new hobbies and make new friends.

Appearing in the Hull Daily Mail in August 2014 under the headline “Lonely Men Wanted For Men in Sheds Hull Project”, Barry appealed for prospective members to join him. He said "This could help them come together and get involved in a personal project, maybe something they've always wanted to do. Maybe it's a joiner who has always wanted to make a hobby horse and now they've got the time to do it." Men in Sheds Hull held its first official meeting in September 2014.