blackwood hills men's shed, history, purpose, activities, projects, development, members, safety, training

Our Shed's Story

Purpose
The purpose of Blackwood Hills Men's Shed is to provide a place where men from our local community can gather to socialise, connect with other men, and undertake meaningful and worthwhile woodworking and metalworking projects.  Too often when men retire after many years in the workforce, they lose the day-to-day social contacts they had enjoyed and can then find themselves lonely and disconnected.
 
Men in Blackwood and the surrounding suburbs are welcome to join in the Shed sessions, currently held on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9am to 1pm.
 
Beginnings
Blackwood Hills Men’s Shed conducted its first session in October 2022 in Blackwood Hills Baptist Church’s Activity Hall and part of the storerooms attached to the Activity Hall.  We began with eight members, seven from BHBC and one from the local community.

At the beginning, the Shed had little in the way of tools, timber, fixings and other woodworking materials and equipment but, thanks to the generosity of many donors and the weekly contributions by Shed members, we have seen the Shed become well equipped with standing electric equipment, battery powered tools, hand tools, safety equipment, woodworking materials, and lately metalworking materials.
 
Woodworking and metalworking skills are not necessary; there are experienced team members who can help you learn how to use the tools and how to design and build your projects.
 
Development and Growth
Grant funding provided by Mitcham City Council has enabled the substantial upgrading of the workshop's power supply and lighting, and the installation of powerful dust extraction equipment.  A grant from the Commonwealth Government funded first aid training, a defibrillator, and cordless power tools.  A recent Commonwealth government grant has enabled to Shed to acquire a CNC router and so expand the range of activities and learning on offer. Donations from local service clubs have included cordless power tools, hand tools, timber and fixings. And other fundraising initiatives have enabled the Shed to expand and enhance our workshop furniture, equipment and tools. See our Supporters page. 
 
Development of the Shed’s workshop is not yet complete and continues with the aim of providing a comprehensively equipped, safe, and enjoyable place for men to meet and undertake projects.
 
Since opening, the Shed has experienced substantial growth in membership from eight to now around 60 men ranging in age from the forties to nineties.
 
Activities
The Shed members undertake a range of activities including:
  • Personal woodworking and metalworking projects.
  • Projects supporting the work of community service organisations.
  • Commissions from members of the public, for which the Shed receives donations to cover costs.
  • Creating a well-equipped and efficient workshop for fixed and portable power tools.
  • Fitting-out the workshop to provide racking for timber and other materials, and building mobile work benches and tool racks which are rolled-out into the Activity Hall for each Shed session.
  • Conducting induction and safe and effective equipment and tool use training for members.
  • Promoting men’s health.
  • Each Shed session includes a convivial and popular morning teatime; some even say it’s the most important part of a Shed session.
Feel free to come and visit the blokes
The Men’s Shed Ministry invites visitors to come and see the Shed in operation and invites members of the public to encourage men they know who could benefit from the Shed experience to come and visit us on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.