MORE than a group of blokes hanging out, doing projects for the community, Newcastle Men's Shed (NMS) is one of more than 1200 sites across Australia whose "main priority is men's health".
From September 4 to 10, the organisation is celebrating Men's Shed Week - an acknowledgement of the "contributions of Men's Sheds to local communities".
"We aren't councillors and we aren't professionals in that sense but we just sort of try and help people who are doing it tough.," NMS secretary Wayne Grant said. "We lend an ear, lend a hand and help them get back on track."
A member of NMS since 2014, Mr Grant said the shed brings strangers together in an environment where they are comfortable to speak openly.
"It's always been pretty hard to get men to open up about issues but we have had some pretty big conversations over the years," he said. "People might be going through heart attacks, strokes, different types of cancer or personal issues. But if you've got someone to talk to about it it makes it a hell of a lot easier.
"Guys are doing it without realising they are doing it."
From a humble idea in regional Australia, there are now more than 2,500 Men's Sheds operating in 12 countries around world. The organisation said more than 50,000 Australians directly benefit from participation in the grassroots movement.
"Shedders devote much of their time to worthwhile community endeavours. Delivering great benefits for the wider community through major projects, donating arts and crafts, participating in community events, and actively promoting men's health and wellbeing," the Australian Men's Shed Association said.
Mr Grant said the Newcastle crew is currently working on a garden for their New Lambton site.
"We've got nine quite large garden beds, a greenhouse. We have been provided a grant from the federal government and hope to be finished by the end of this month," he said.
"The guys that come in and don't want to get involved in other things can come out to the garden to plant and the produce we hope to provide to Men's Shed members and the surplus will go to someone like OzHarvest."
Without a site in 2020, Mr Grant said they were "saved" by Westpac who is letting them use part of the old bank on Beaumont street.
They are making full use of the shopfront.
"A lot of small things like wooden toys and stuff get made up out the back and get sold in the shop out the front," he said. "There are heaps of things like cutting boards and all sorts of knicknacky things."
Two days a month, Mr Grant said, the team mentor 15-year-old school students. Which, in light of father's day, is an extremely important role he said.
"Some of these kids that we mentor haven't had that father figure in their life," he said. "It's not only about the mentorship and the friendship but it's also giving them an idea of what it's like to go out and get involved with people and the workforce.
"They really brighten up when they are in here and in the five years we haven't had a bad kid yet.
"It also gives our members the sense that they have given something back to the community by helping these kids."
Mr Grant said since the pandemic, membership at the shed has gone up from 34 to well over a hundred, with people ringing every day.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
