Men’s shed back

The idea of a Men’s shed for those within Southbank who miss having their own work area was re-ignited in April with a meeting announced for April 18.

Unfortunately, the meeting was cancelled after organisers decided there was too little interest.

The lack of interest shown is somewhat surprising given the encouraging number of men and women who were able to hold initial meetings on a shed idea late last year.

Far from giving up hope, the City of Melbourne’s Community Development Officer Jasmina Stanic plans to hold the meeting at a later date and ensure there is a real publicity push to get the numbers behind it.

The meeting will invite a wide range of guest speakers who have intimate knowledge of the way Men’s sheds are set up and operate, through their associations with other sheds of this kind across Victoria.

Guest speakers planned for the cancelled meeting included director of the Victorian Men’s Shed Association Paul Sladdin, Heathdale community and neighbours Shed coordinator John Gowlett, Hobson’s Bay Shed coordinater Thomas Boon and Daylesford Men’s Shed’s Mark Rak.

No doubt the rescheduled meeting will contain similar luminaries.

There is no date for the next meeting yet, but if you are interested in getting behind a Men’s shed for Southbank be sure to register your interest contact either Jasmina at the council or Mabel Vargas from the Southbank Resident’s Group.