A family wedding in Australia in September took me took Wamberal in New South Wales. Wamberal is on the Central Coast and is where family live, and where I was staying for the wedding, 2 hours north in Mudgee. We had lots of warm reunions with our extended families, and a wonderful wedding for my nephew and it was all over far too quickly.
As Chairman of our local Men’s Shed in Torrington, I wanted to visit a Shed in Oz and check it out. Only a few minutes away from Wamberal is a Men’s Shed in Erina, so after we had recovered from the wedding, I made my way down there on a Tuesday morning.
The Men’s Shed movement started in Australia many years ago. There are now over 1200 Men’s Sheds in Australia. The concept, aims and principles we have in the UK are essentially the same as they are in Australia – to support the wellbeing of men who are mainly, but not exclusively, retired. One significant difference is that in Australia the Mens Sheds are exclusively provided for men whereas, as we know, in the UK there are a number who now welcome women.
Another very significant difference is how the Sheds in Australia are funded. They are well supported financially from both the state and the federal government. This was clearly in evidence almost immediately when I was shown around the Shed at Erina. The Shed was very well equipped with excellent tools, machinery, and facilities and, even though, as I was told, it did not all happen overnight, it was the result of several years of large financial support, which we don’t have access to in the UK.
Ian, the Erina Mens Shed secretary, explained that in Australia there is the clear recognition that the welfare of their retired population is worth the investment. On the day of my first visit, I spoke to several of the members, and like it is in the UK, they all spoke glowingly of what access to activities and companionship gives them. The obvious corollary to this is a healthy (relatively speaking, we are retired men) body and mind reduces visits to the GP.
The Shed at Erina is open 3 mornings a week; on Tuesdays there are around 20 participants, on Thursday, which is busier, up to 50. There is a membership fee of AUD$50 a year. Our Shed in Torrington does not have membership fees.
The Erina Shed has a large wood workshop, with basically all the equipment you could wish for. There are at least 20 workstations to work at. The sanding and cutting equipment are separate to this workshop in an enclosed room with dust extraction equipment over each machine. For health and safety (the Australians are very hot on H&S) I will try to make available online their H&S guidance notes given to each new member, there has to be 2 people in the room whenever machinery is in use.
The Erina Shed also has a metal workshop with very good cutting, welding and grinding equipment. This was of particular interest to me. I have recently been working on some metal sculpture, part of a project I am doing with Plymouth College of Art. I was hoping to be able to actively do some craft or art work alongside this visit and the appearance of a plasma cutter, welders and a rack of metal bars provided the basics. Never short of ideas I set to, with the more than capable assistance of Gavin. 2 visits and 3 1/2 hours later I produced a piece with 3 metal figures inside a circle, mounted on a piece of Australian hardwood, Jarra wood. The figures are my grandchildren, Sophie, Alice and Peggy and they are the gift I have made for my hosts in Oz, Garry and Jaquie.
In many ways this visit has reminded me what a great nation Australia is. It is an enormous country with vast natural resources, fauna and flora. There is a great sense of what the Aussies call “mateship”. This was seen and felt among the guys I met at Erina. I heard lots of stories of what men had done in their lives and what the richness of opportunity in Oz had given them. Hard work brought rewards. Some of those rewards didn’t come easy. It’s the same for us in the UK. I found a great generosity of spirit there. Something I also find at home .
The only problem is it’s so far away. At the wedding I won the prize for the guest who had travelled furthest. From North Devon it is about 11,500 kilometres but despite the distance I hope our Shed in Torrington can develop an exchange of ideas and projects. Could be interesting.