The Bundanoon Men's Shed is a community space, offering camaraderie and skill-sharing among its 80 members, whose ages span from their early 60s to their vibrant 90s. Recently, a welcome addition to the shed has been a set of stackable chairs, made possible through the Wingecarribee Shire Council's Community Assistance Scheme grant.
Before the arrival of the grant, the shed relied on a collection of non-stackable and heavy chairs, which often dominated the limited space. This made it challenging to reconfigure the room for various activities and meetings, hindering the shed's versatility.
The new stackable chairs, with their sled (slide) frame, have simplified the process of moving chairs around.
"The chairs will make a profound difference to how we can use the Shed. Given the various ages of our membership this makes it easier and then more likely to reconfigure the room for the different activities and to accommodate meetings of 5 to 10 or larger groups," says Bundanoon Men's Shed Secretary Milton McCarney.
"The chairs allow a greater flexibility to how we use the room. If we don't need chairs for a small activity the unwanted chairs can be neatly stacked out of the way."
The Men's Shed has been an evolving project since 2008 when it started out as a humble gathering at the Primula Café. Eventually securing a space of its own in 2012, the offering has expanded to include traditional woodturning and metalworking, along with a wide range of shared activities, from art and poetry to bus outings, automotive discussions, 'Tec Talk' sessions, bicycle outings and vegetable growing.
In so many ways, connecting at the Men's Shed enriches the lives of locals, fostering social connections and providing opportunities to learn new skills in a welcoming and inclusive space.
"The majority of our membership appreciates the Shed as a place to drop in for a chat with mates, as an alcohol-free alternative to a club or pub…with the exception of our monthly 'Happy Hour'," Milton said.
Applying for the grant to invest in stackable chairs that are easier for members to handle, reflects the group's commitment to keeping the community hub accessible for everyone.
"It's not always the big ticket ideas that make the greatest difference to a community," says WSC's Coordinator Community Development, Corinne Buxton. "It's rewarding to see the funds we make available through Council's Community Assistance Scheme invested in connecting community members in meaningful ways like this."
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