her excellency, the honourable linda dessau am … flag day ...……………12 future newsletters...

VMSA News le t t e r P a g e | 1

Newsletter

Her Excellency, The Honourable Linda Dessau AM Governor of Victoria is proud to be the Patron-in-Chief of the Victorian Men’s Shed Association

Emailed to a Representative of every Men’s Shed in Victoria.

Please print out a copy and distribute to members of your Shed.

In this Month’s Newsletter:

VMSA EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT ................................................................... 2

RUPANYUP & DISTRICT SHED OPENING ........................................................... 3

MOUNT BEAUTY OPENING ................................................................................. 4

MOUNT BEAUTY OPENING ................................................................................. 5

MONASH COMMUNITY HEALTH EVENT ............................................................ 6

VOLUNTEER PROFILE ......................................................................................... 7

MINISTER ANNOUNCES GRANT ROUND ............................................................ 8

NATHALIA SHED OPENING ................................................................................. 9

UPCOMING EVENTS ........................................................................................... 10

VMSA FACEBOOK …...………………………………………………………………..11

CHEQUERED FLAG DAY………………………………………………...……………12

FUTURE NEWSLETTERS……………………………………………………………...13

March 2016


VMSAEXECUTIVEOFFICERREPORT

Hi Folks what an eventful month it has been around Victoria.

The VMSA has been very proud to be involved in several Shed openings around the state.

Representatives of the VMSA have been busy providing assistance with the Strengthening Men’s Sheds Grant Round. Please remember to contact me if you require any assistance, advice or sample documents to complete your applications.

The Rupanyup, Nathalia and Mt Beauty sheds have opened and what magnificent sheds they are. The VMSA offers their congratulations to the hard working Committees who have brought their vision to fruition. The support of our Local Government, State and Federal Parliamentarians cannot be under estimated. While handing out the Kudos we should also acknowledge the work of the Department of Health and Human Services staff who have provided grants, guidance and advice to many of our new sheds.

The VMSA State – wide Gathering this month hosted by the City of Melton was another huge success.

The Mayor of Melton, Cr Kathy Majdlik opened the Gathering and said…” the Men’s Shed model in the

City of Melton is quite unique, in that they are delivered fully as a service of Council, with two staff to

support the Shed volunteers and healthy budgets to deliver their operations. … Council doesn’t run the

Sheds – the Sheddies do – but Council’s support means the Melton and Taylor’s Hill Sheddies don’t need

to rely on fund raising or grants to sustain their activities”.

During the Gathering there was discussion on membership of sheds and how it should be managed.

It should always be membered that membership of a shed is a privilege that is given and not a right. Incorporated sheds must remember that they can assess a membership application on its merits and if they have any queries they should contact the VMSA before deciding how to proceed. A demand for membership that is accompanied by an implied suggestion of discrimination if the applicant is not given membership is an obvious attempt to bully sheds. There is no requirement for example for a shed to admit women or children as members but there are a plethora of reasons not to do so.

The VMSA has a number of upcoming events such as the Chequered Flag Day at Sandown racecourse, the VMSA Steam Day at the Melbourne Steam Traction Club in Scoresby and the VMSA Gathering on 24th of June 2016 in Cobram.

Ric Blackburn VMSA Executive Officer


RUPANYUP&DISTRICTSHEDOPENING

Rupanyup and District Men’s Shed was officially opened by Emma Kealy MP on Monday the 28th of March. VMSA Committee member for the Wimmera region, Geoff Witmitz was a proud guest at the opening. Congratulations to Adrian Tyler and all the team in Rupanyup for the hard work in getting this marvellous shed up and running. The Opening was attended by 150 guests which is extraordinary for a town of 300.

Ms Emma Kealy MP,

is a tireless supporter of sheds across the enormous electorate of Lowan.

Rupanyup and District Men’s Shed President, Adrian Tyler and Emma Kealy MP at the unveiling of the Commemorative Plaque


MOUNTBEAUTYOPENING

Official Opening Mount Beauty & District Men’s Shed

19th February 2016

By Alex Craig

After over four years of hard work the Mount Beauty & District Men’s Shed finally opened its doors officially last Friday.

The opening ceremony and the unveiling of a plaque were performed by Bill Tilley (MLA Benambra) in front of a crowd of about 125, consisting of Shed members, their families, friends and supporters.

President Dick Puttyfoot said that the purpose of the Men’s Shed is to provide a place where men can work on private and community projects and mentor young people.

“During the process of working together an invaluable metamorphosis takes place,” he said.

“Members start to talk to each other, mateship develops, and men may open up about health problems or pass on helpful information to each other.”

Extra funds were raised through local service clubs, members working at local events and especially through a scheme to build 33 bunks for the Outdoor School Bogong, a project which brought many men into the organisation and taught them the basics of carpentry.


MOUNTBEAUTYOPENING The movement for a Men’s Shed in Mount Beauty began in 2011 when Ian Docking, soon to be the founding president, suggested that Alpine Health’s Community Health and Advisory Groups (CHAG) support Mount Beauty in its need for a Men’s Shed as it had supported Myrtleford and Bright.

A public interest meeting was held in October 2011, the first committee met shortly after and the group was incorporated in November.

The new group was offered the use of a slice of land near the Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre, partly owned by Alpine Shire and partly by AGL Energy, and in late 2013 received a grant of $60,000 from the State government, supplemented by $8,000 from the Alpine Shire.

Construction of the shed began in October 2014, using local tradesmen and volunteer work from members with many local businesses donating time and materials to the project.

Project manager Ian Howley said that a core group of members had clocked up over 4,000 hours over the past 18 months working on the shed, and that now completed, the Shed is fully paid for.

“We have spent over $102,000, as well as in-kind contributions estimated to equal $20,000,” he said.

“While we are financially debt free we owe a big debt to the community for all the help we have received – our goal is to repay that debt with our service to the Mount Beauty community over the years ahead.”

Bill Tilley, MLA Benambra Unveiling the Plaque


MONASHCOMMUNITYHEALTHEVENT

Presented by Monash Men’s Shed Inc. and featuring

PHARMACY SERVICES; MELANOMA AWARENESS;

HEARING IMPROVEMENT From 1 pm to around 3 pm – Afternoon tea break when the seats

get hard …. followed by a dynamic Q&A Session with our 3‐Speaker Panel answering your questions.

Come to the Girl Guide Hall adjacent to the Shed, in Bogong Reserve, Bogong Avenue, Glen Waverley.

PLEASE CLICK LINK BELOW BY APRIL 11TH TO LET US KNOW YOU’RE COMING!

[email protected] Alternatively, call or text 0408 534 064

Open to ALL men AND women – and FREE!

A snapshot OF THE MONASH MEN’S SHED

“Everything we do at the MMS is aimed at improving the physical & mental health and well‐being

of our members (i.e. adult males of any situation or background) – whether we’re engaged in

physical activity together, passive conversation, mental stimulation, social enjoyment, health‐

focused programs or helping others in the community.”


VOLUNTEERPROFILE

Warwick Mitchell Profile

By ALEX CRAIG

WARWICK Mitchell was lured into the Mt Beauty Men’s Shed two years ago at the request of his old friend Dick Puttyfoot, the current president. “It started with help with the electricity, because I had worked for the SEC, and then I got involved when they were building the bunks for the Outdoor School,” he said.

“Because I used to work at the Mt Beauty Timber Mill and was an experienced Dockerman, I ended up training a lot of the workers. “There were blokes who wanted to be involved with not a lot of expertise, so we set them up with the equipment and away they went. “It was very exciting because there were so many who had never even had a hammer in their hand. They were rapt – they thought it was wonderful they were actually constructing something.

“It was great to work with those blokes.”

Mr Mitchell admits to not being a very social person, but to step up and lend a hand where it was needed seemed a natural thing to do. “They needed a bit of help, and I was available to do it,” he said. “Besides, I love building stuff myself. “Putting this building together has given me a great sense of achievement.”

Recycling is a particular pleasure for him. “I love building new stuff out of old stuff,” he said.

“If you have the tools and the knowhow, you can turn anything into anything.”

He also enjoys the change in relationships when the hierarchy of the SEC was exchanged for the equality of the Men’s Shed, and he has ended up teaching men who were his bosses in his previous jobs.

And has he gained a new group of friends? “Well, when you are building a wall, and you end up having to build it six times, that’s when you really have to build relationships.”


MinisterAnnounces2016GrantRound

Minister Jenny Mikakos and VMSA Committeeman Bob Ford welcomed by the Buninyong men.

Tuesday 19th of January 2016

The Andrews Labour Government is investing in stronger and healthier communities through $1

million in Men's Shed grants.

Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos announced the new round of funding for new

Men’s Sheds and refurbishments today while visiting the Buninyong Men’s Shed

Minister Jenny Mikakos announced a new round of funding for new shed builds and shed

refurbishments. The total funding available is $1 Million and up to a max of $60,000 for new

builds and up to a maximum of $30,000 for refurbishments.

For details of the press release click here

For details of the grant guidelines click here

Please contact Ric Blackburn for advice and assistance

with your applications. 0408 465 228


NATHALIASHEDOPENING

VMSA Committee member Rob Butler who supports sheds in the North Central and Murray areas of Victoria attended the Official opening of the Nathalia Shed.

The Nathalia shed is the envy of sheds around the state due to its great size and facilities.

Rob Butler reports that the he received a hearty welcome from the shed members and is impressed with their organisation and resourcefulness.


UPCOMINGEVENTS

The VMSA has again organised a Men's Shed Members Day at the Melbourne Steam Traction

Engine Club on their Scoresby site. On Thursday 5th May from 9am to 3.30pm. Entry is $ 5.00 which includes entry, tea / coffee and a free train ride around the site.

The Stamford Park Men's Shed has organised a BBQ for visitors at very reasonable prices. The Melbourne Steam Traction Engine Club is at 1200 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby which is on the south-western corner of the EASTLINK freeway and Ferntree Gully Road.

Easy parking for buses and cars with good walking access around the site.

If you need further info please check the VMSA website or call Ric Blackburn on 04080 465 228

Special display of Austin 7 cars courtesy of the Austin 7 Car Club.

24th of June 2016 VMSA State- wide Gathering is at Cobram on the Murray River and will include sheds from all over Victoria and Southern New South Wales.


VMSA FACEBOOK

The VMSA has received a number of queries and requests to find an avenue that sheds can easily list & advertise surplus items they have that they wish to donate to other sheds, or to promote activities that the shed are involved in - such as market days, or fundraisers. The VMSA has recently created and trialled a Facebook page, this is now available to all sheds and shedders to join, and to place your ads and info on. Please note this is not the avenue if you wish to sell your surplus good, it is only if you want to donate the goods.

There are plenty of sites available such as eBay or Gumtree if you are looking to sell an item,

The Facebook page is VMSA - Public Notices, and you can search for it or go to

https://www.facebook.com/groups/376075325824722/

Happy posting.

New Membership or Renewal Enquiries

Please contact the VMSA Secretary on [email protected]

COURTESY OF THE SIMPSON MEN’S SHED

JANUARY 2016 NEWSLETTER


CHEQUERED FLAG DAY


FUTURENEWSLETTERS

This Newsletter is being emailed to the Contact Person at each of the sheds on the VMSA database. We are limited in our ability to send the Newsletter to every shedder and so we ask that as the CONTACT PERSON for your shed please print and display the Newsletter.

If you have something to share with other sheds, write a short article (photos are handy) And send to the Executive Officer [email protected]

Victorian Men’s Shed Association acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.

Disclaimer This newsletter is for general information only. The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of VMSA Committee. Reasonable measures have been taken to ensure that the material contained in this Newsletter is correct. However, there is no responsibility for the accuracy or the completeness of the material.

LIST OF VMSA COMMITTEE CONTACTS: OFFICE BEARERS

President Phil Keily [email protected] Stamford Park Shed Secretary Bruce Ward [email protected] Ocean Grove & District ShedTreasurer Barry Watson [email protected] Heywood Shed Vice President Lindsay Oates [email protected] Mirboo Nth Shed

COMMITTEE

Rob Butler [email protected] Cobram Shed

Barbara Look

[email protected]

Milpara Shed

Bob Forde

[email protected]

Beaufort Shed

Geoff Witmitz

[email protected]

Horsham Shed

David Mudge [email protected] Drouin Shed

her excellency, the honourable linda dessau am … flag day ...……………12 future newsletters...

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