Men flock to community sheds

Men flock to community sheds

By Nance Haxton

Thu Jun 7, 2007 10:16am AEST

Men gather at the community shed in Grensfell, in country NSW.

Community men's sheds are spreading across Australia as a place where men - particularly the elderly - can gather and not only use the equipment, but also mingle and socialise.

For Adelaide man Harry, the community shed at Salisbury in the city's north provides much more than simply tools and a workbench.

"Being a Vietnam veteran, you get into funny moods sometimes and just like to get out of the place and come around and just potter around in your own time," he said. "I find it very relaxing actually."

Dennis, who is making a blackboard for his young grandson, says he is happiest when he is in the community shed, surrounded by his creations and his mates.

"I come in twice a week. To me, it's been great," he said.

"I'm here because I lost my wife after 58 years of being married and this to me is an opportunity to potter about. I've made friends with them all and I've found a family and a home to come to."

The administration officer at the ex-military rehabilitation centre otherwise known as the Adelaide Men's Shed, Brad Walker, says it draws in anything up to 60 participants a day and forms an essential part of their lives.

"They may have a carer but they've got the television because they're disabled or incapacitated," Mr Walker said.

"They can't get out of the house much and they come out here and they interact, they talk about things, they learn."

'Vital' phenomenon

The University of Ballarat's Education School recently completed a national study on the community men's shed phenomenon.

The team's Dr Mike Brown says it found more than 150 community sheds spread across the country that were vitally important to the participants, who are often isolated and do not access other services.

"There was an army of older people who sit at home on their own and walk the dog three times a day, and who aren't in contact with other people in the communities," he said.

"The community men's sheds go some way to connecting up those people."

Dr Brown says the sheds not only provide a place for men to gather and socialise but are also essential to keeping them healthy.

"[They encourage] things like check-ups and certain sort of areas that older retired blokes need to do, which they weren't getting through other channels, so there's a whole almost therapeutic side to the men's shed," he said.

"There are men with Alzheimer's and dementia and there's some wonderful stories there. People would handle these tools and have a look at old manuals for making things and they'd remember some of the things from earlier in their lives."

Harry encourages other veterans and older men such as himself to get out of the house and not only make new furniture, but perhaps make a new beginning.

"We're all old hands at doing something," he said.

"The oldies can teach the youngies and the youngies can teach the oldies sometimes, but sometimes you can't teach an old dog new tricks."