General News
18 September, 2023
Blokes mark milestone for Men's Sheds
MEN’S Sheds across Victoria are celebrating 30 years of bringing blokes together. The wellbeing initiative has grown to more than 360 sheds with two local groups marking the occasion last week. Members of the Inglewood-Bridgewater and Wedderburn...
MEN’S Sheds across Victoria are celebrating 30 years of bringing blokes together.
The wellbeing initiative has grown to more than 360 sheds with two local groups marking the occasion last week.
Members of the Inglewood-Bridgewater and Wedderburn Men’s Sheds met in Inglewood for a barbecue lunch and celebratory cake cutting.
Assisted by Inglewood and Districts Health Service, they reflected on the personal and community projects that have been finished in their local sheds.
“The shed has helped with many community projects,” said Inglewood-Bridgewater shed president Kevin Poyser.
“There’s been the new fowl pen at the primary school, garden beds at the hospital, a flag pole at the cemetery and we’re working away on restoring the Porter’s Store Dodge van.
“We were recently part of a project that involved students from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School making wooden presents for dads for Father’s Day.”
Mr Poyser said the Inglewood-Bridgewater shed was going strong after 16 years.
“They’re a great lot of blokes and we have always had around 25 members as part of this great mental health initiative,” he said.
The Inglewood shed, located on IDHS land, was started after formation of a steering committee and a $50,000 grant that saw the first shed built.
That shed has had several extensions in the last 16 years to house equipment and projects that include restorations, renovations and builds.
IDHS chief executive officer Dallas Coghill said men’s sheds were a working example of connectiveness “and getting together”. Mr Poyser said the Inglewood-Bridgewater group appreciated the support of IDHS.
Wedderburn Men’s Shed will be having further celebrations next Thursday at its headquarters at Engine Park.
Sheds are members of Victorian Men’s Shed Association and aim to provide for the health and wellbeing of the men attending the shed, assisting to reduce the social loneliness, isolation and depression through unemployment, retrenchment, retirement or life changes.