Men’s Shed Week is being celebrated from September 3 to 9. It’s an annual event that aims to raise community awareness, knowledge and interest in Men’s Sheds around the country. 

Men’s Sheds are vital community investments delivering programs and activities that foster community spirit and contribute to building a more inclusive Australia. 

Men’s Sheds not only play important roles in the overall improvement of health and wellbeing, but also positively engaging within their community for the benefit of their community.

This year AMSA led a celebration of 30 Years of Sheds. For many Australian men the local Men’s Shed offers somewhere to go, something to do and mates that make it all worthwhile.

A fun-fact: Since the first community shed for men opened its doors in 1993, the Men’s Shed community has grown to encompass more than 2,500 Sheds in 12 countries.

Today 1,297 Men’s, Women’s and Community Sheds benefit from membership of the Australian Men’s Shed Association – a figure that surpasses even the number of McDonald’s restaurants around the country.

Men’s Sheds value add to local communities: connecting men, improving health and wellbeing outcomes, and positively contributing to almost 1,300 vibrant and thriving communities around Australia, in particular our own Buloke Shire, and in this case, Wycheproof.

Photographed at one of the many popular social gatherings hosted at the Wycheproof Men’s Shed are, left to right, Rex Tierney, Ian Marquis, John Nicholls (dec), Reg Pollard, John Driscoll, Rob Grylls, Reg Clark, Peter Howard, Mick Giddings, Peter Oosterhoff and Russell Bedggood. Russell is the proud father of well-known thoroughbred horse trainer Gavin, who had a horse racing in the popular “All Star Mile” raceday (circa March 2023) named Keats – who performed admirably and was a crowd favourite. Russell was presented with keepsakes to celebrate the occasion at an afternoon tea and coffee break, one of these items being a commemorative flag. This image clearly depicts that there is always plenty of good camaraderie and conversation on offer in Wycheproof at the local Men’s Shed. Why not get involved?

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 8 September 2023.