#16 April

2013

The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association

A SHED WITHOUT A SHED At the Midland Men’s Shed we regularly have an attendance of between 30 and 40 each Tuesday when we meet for just 2 hours. The growth of the Shed has been amazing in the past twelve months our membership has doubled. What attracts men of the Midland/Swan Valley/Hills is a good question. Firstly, let’s go back in history. The local authority, City of Swan approached the Bellevue Baptist Church to consider the feasibility of operating a Men’s Shed in the Midland catchment

area. Public meetings were held to determine public support for such a project. The meetings were well attended by members of the public and various interest groups. These groups included members of other men’s sheds, Rotary, Lions and other interest groups such as wood turners, metal workers, the Machinery Preservation Group, churches and the City of Swan. Early talks established that the Bellevue Baptist Church would permit and support the concept of a shed being built on land adjacent

to the Church with an interim operation from the church hall. A steering committee formed from those present at the public meetings instituted the Midland Men’s Shed on 1st July 2010. The Midland Men’s Shed became an incorporated body in Western Australia 2010. It has obtained an Australian Business Number from the Australian Taxation Office and is also registered as a recipient of donors for taxation offset purposes. Whilst the Midland Men’s Shed is still in its infancy it Continued on Page 3

IN THIS ISSUE

Tuesday morning at the Midland Men’s Shed.

Grants offered to communities Page 4

WAMSA update Page 7

Building on common ground Page 5

Are you an inventor? Page 8

Sister city seats Page 6

Free computers for Men’s Sheds Page 9

F R O M T H E E D I TO R

#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

W A M S A is aware that it is difficult for some sheds to obtain material or machinery of for that matter any items to help develop your shed. In this copy of the Warbler is a form that can be completed and forwarded to [email protected] for inclusion on the web site and the next Warbler We know that the website is out of date and are in negotiations with a volunteer to maintain it, this should be rectified soon. Tuesday 26th February four WAM SA committee members attended the opening of the Northam Shed’s new workshop. The members and the committee deserve congratulations for there perseverance in providing a great facility for there community. Well done!

Advertising To ensure the quality of your newsletter we are still looking for advertisers to help offset the cost to produce it. If you can help in this regard or know any one who can, please don’t hesitate to give me a call on 94579198 or email (newsletter@ wamsa.org.au)

Submissions At the time of writing there were almost one thousand sheds in Australia that we are aware of and still growing. I would ask that shed’s that produce a newsletter please include (newsletter@ wamsa.org.au) on your mailing list so I can include some of the things that are going on at your shed in the Warbler. If possible I need the newsletter in word format and photo’s as jpegs; this would make my life a lot easier.

Disclaimer This newsletter is for general information only. The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of WAMSA. We have taken reasonable measures to ensure that the material contained in this newsletter is correct - however we accept no responsibility for the accuracy or the completeness of the material.

The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association

Extract from The Northam Advocate Men’s Shed members from across the Wheatbelt were out in force for the official opening of the Northam Men’s Shed last Tuesday. Co-patron Max Trenorden MLC performed the official opening by cutting a ribbon at the shed’s entrance. Shed members have the use of several rooms in the old Duke Street fire station, including a model room and a computer room.The shed itself is expansive and well equipped with a good range of machinery and equipment. Wheatbelt Mens Health Senior community educator Julian Krieg was master of ceremonies his final official role before his retirement three days later.The genesis of the group was a meeting more than four years ago that Mr Krieg hosted at the Department of Agriculture and Food in Northam.Mens Shed president Bob Sims paid a tribute to founding member and secretary, the late-Alan Swann, for preparing all the documentation for establishing the shed.He also thanked those who had contributed through sponsorship, donations and work. Shire President Steve Pollard, who is a co-sponsor, also spoke.

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#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

Continued from Page 1 is anticipated that, based on other Men’s Shed membership numbers in the near vicinity, that the Midland Men’s Shed should be able to achieve a membership of well over one hundred. We have investigated, unsuccessfully, various sites for a shed and we remain a member of the Swan Trades and Crafts Alliance where the City of Swan is considering a joint complex to house several groups of similar interests. This complex is still in the initial planning stages and a lot of work has to be done as well as the raising of a considerable amount of money. Our Shed has a group of guys who enjoy each other’s company

each week where they can discuss, in a relaxed atmosphere, their interests and these range from restoring old cars, model trains, steam engines, photography, wood carving or they can just socialise. Each month there is a Guest Speaker talking on men’s health, facilities for Seniors, items of interest, etc and we regularly join with a Seniors Group from the Brown Park Recreation Centre in Swan View to go on excursions. These have included a visit to the Hugh Manning Tractor Museum in Serpentine and a Canal Cruise in Mandurah. One theory of our success in the morning tea we provide courtesy of Baker’s Delight and the coffee/tea prepared by Michael Oliver. We have also been involved in projects away from the Shed and this has included Perth City Farm, Governor Stirling Senior High School and more recently the Swan Christian College in Middle Swan. The projects undertaken with these groups provide our members with the

opportunity to once again put their skills to good use. We have also prepared over 250 bikes for the Bikes for Humanity Scheme. Our success, probably, highlights that you do not need a Shed to be successful, but an operating Shed and not the Church Hall would be nice. We must stress that even when we do have an operating Shed the social mornings on Tuesday in the Church Hall will be retained.

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We have investigated, unsuccessfully, various sites for a shed.

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#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

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Honey, did you remember the milk? Often, during the day, we make plans that we have to remember to carry out later on. For example, you need to remember to pick up a litre of milk on the way home. First, you would need to store this in your memory. Then, on the way home, you would need to notice when you go past the shops and remember that you had to pick up the milk. This process is called “remembering to remember” or prospective memory. Researchers at The University of Western Australia, School of Psychology are very interested in this type of remembering and are seeking volunteers to help in

a new and exciting project. We need volunteers over the age of 50. The study involves filling out some questionnaires at home and then participating in a single session in which you complete tasks measuring remembering to remember, general memory and thinking skills. Be assured, no prior experience is required! The session takes around 3

hours to complete and is conducted at the University of Western Australia. Remembering to remember may change in dementia. We need healthy older adults to help us learn what is ‘normal’ in this kind of memory, before we can know if it is a good diagnostic measure in dementia. We provide parking and $15 to cover travel expenses. To volunteer, or for any questions relating to this study please contact Kevin Mo via email: [email protected]. au or Alice Gummery via email: [email protected]. edu.au or leave a message on 0459465983.

GRANTS OFFERED TO COMMUNITIES Grass Roots Grants (Up to $2,000)

Community Partnerships (Up to $20,000)

AIM To support a broad range of initatives that strengthen the local community in which our members reside.

AIM To support innovative and sustainable community iniatives that align closely with the RAC’s mobility themes.

FUNDING LIMIT The RAC will consider applications up to $2,000.

FUNDING LIMIT The RAC will consider applications up to $20,000.

KEY DATES FOR 2013 There are four rounds per year. All applications must be received by 3pm on: 20 May 2013 5 August 2013 28 October 2013

KEY DATES FOR 2013 There are two rounds per year. All applications must be recieved by 3pm on: 5 August 2013

For more information Visit our website rac.com.au/sponsorship Email the RAC Sponsorship team at [email protected] Speak to the RAC Sponsorship team on (08) 9436 4584

#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

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BUILDING ON COMMON GROUND By Melody Dexter, Liaison Officer at The School Volunteer Program Dave Buttress, the Building Development Officer at Kalamunda Men’s Shed is also a volunteer mentor with The School Volunteer Program (SVP). Each week, Dave meets for one hour with one student, John*, providing social and emotional support as they spend time together at a local high school. During their sessions, Dave and John catch up on their lives, discussing what they did on the weekend, or various car components and at times, play monopoly. John is currently rebuilding a ute, so some mentoring sessions are spent online, searching for spare parts. John said, “We divide the session into segments so he can benefit from it most. He likes my company and I like his company.”

Dave admits it wasn’t always this easy - at the beginning they had never met – two complete strangers – so they gradually built a relationship based on their common interests. John is very interested in metal work, so “I asked him to show me what he was doing, he showed me around the workshop, showed me his mates who were working on things, and told me about engines that were stripped down.” Since then, Dave and John have built an easy going, yet meaningful, relationship which will continue on this year, “I’ve seen him get more confident since I first met him – I think this is probably what it’s all about.” Dave is no stranger to building on common ground – one of the best aspects of a Men’s Shed is the camaraderie the members

The Seniors Card centre offers free talks to seniors groups on the benefits and concessions available with the WA Seniors Card.. The link to our speakers is www. communities.wa.gov.au/serviceareas/seniorscard/seniorsspeakersprogram/Pages/default.aspx Many Seniors either do not have a Seniors Card or are unaware of the full range of benefits and concessions available to them and we would like the opportunity to provide that information. Concern exists that many Age Pension, Com-

monwealth Seniors Health, and Veteran Cardholders do not have a WA Seniors Card and are missing out on the diverse Concessions available with this Card. This provides the opportunity to clarify any queries that you mighthave.

Do you have a Seniors Card?

have – at Kalamunda Men’s Shed, up to 25 members a day (about 110 membership) get together, talk about the good old days and crack jokes over a bite. Camaraderie is an important part for members, especially for those who have downsized to a unit and lost their shed or quarter acre block. We live in a time where support from community is greatly needed – organisations such as Men’s Sheds and The School Volunteer Program, provide a way for communities to help each other out. To find out more about becoming a mentor with The School Volunteer Program, please call Melody on 9444 8646 or email [email protected]. *Name has been changed for confidentiality.

Our talk covers: • Update on Benefits and Concessions. • Update on the Cost of Living Rebate. • Update on the Home Security Rebate. • Update on the Electrical and Fire Safety Rebate. • Update on the Cost of Living Rebate. • Update on the Cost of Living Allowance And: • Advise on reciprocal Card use within Australia. • Advise on the review of Card eligibility. • Answer any queries on Seniors matters.

#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

SISTER CITY SEATS Men’s Shed Busselton’s Warwick Hambley, Kelvin Kalka, Phil Atherton, Phil Ralston, Stan Clews and Trevor Fisher have been busy building seats in the Busselton Sugito Friendship Garden. New seating, featuring timber from the Busselton Jetty, has been installed at the Busselton Sugito Friendship Garden ahead of its re-opening on February 21. Busselton and Sugito Sister Cities Association president Ray Toia said the re-alignment of Stanley Street meant the gazebo which previously provided seating in the garden had to be removed.

Men’s Shed Busselton helped install the new seats as part of its community work, placing them in strategic positions to take in all of the garden’s beauty. “We want to encourage people to come through the garden and sit there and have a bit of time. We hope there’s a kind of ambience for people,” Mr Toia said. “Because it’s a community

Lindsay Jarvis, Trevor Fisher, and Warwick Hambley

facility, we used timber from the Busselton Jetty to tie it into Busselton’s history.” An interpretive panel outlining the garden’s history will also be installed on the Busselton Library’s wall and a BASSCA display put up inside the library. Mr Toia said although the redesign had reduced the garden’s space, he hoped the community would continue to enjoy it.

A completed garden bench.

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#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

WAMSA UPDATE By Bill Johnstone Projects and Development Officer providing information to the membership about activities that are potentially doable once they gain a Shed building. Currently Kojonup has an enthusiastic membership but are Shedless! The meeting was also attended by Hon Terry Waldron, Local WA State Government representative and Minister for Sport & Recreation. He commended Mens Community Sheds for the positive role they play in building community and is working with Kojonup to source grant options. 28 members attended the event. Karnet Expo with Bill Johnstone and Charlie Staples. Activity through JanuaryFebruary 2013 The interest in Men’s Community Sheds continues to grow and this is reflected through regular phone and email inquiries both Gary and I receive about establishing a Community Mens Shed. The City of Cockburn recently committed to the establishment of two Sheds to service the demand evident in their area. This followed 3 public meetings and a Consultant’s survey/ report commissioned by the City. Along with members of the Fremantle Mens Shed I provided data and information to the consultant for the report leading to the recommendation for Cockburn to proceed with their Shed plans.

Inside Out Expo WAMSA was represented at the 2013 Karnet Prison Expo. The objective of this event is to provide prisoners preparing for release with positive options for engagement in to the wider communities. Our information stall proved very popular. Inmates were keen to learn about Mens Community Sheds and the Karnet management are already in dialogue with a couple of Sheds about programmes to facilitate this. Kojonup Mens Community Shed Following a request from the Kojonup Shed Committee I attended their AGM and made a presentation with the view of

Kojonup Rotary Club At the request of the Club I provided information session for 23 Rotarians who are interested in the development of the local Shed. The talk focussed on activities and programmes Sheds are implementing and the roles many Rotary Clubs undertake to support Shed community enhancement initiatives. Attached is a letter of appreciation from the Club. Coming Up Link WA and Clan Inc are holding a Conference April 2013. I have discussed WAMSA’s involvement and it is proposed we have an information stall at this event. Once confirmed I propose we contact Sheds to help with a roster to man the stall.

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#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

Are you an inventor? The Brookton Mens Shed is holding a competition for novel, quirky, innovative and funny machines that are powered by human power, ie, pedal, arm, …mind?! Start building now to have your machine ready to display and drive at the next Brookton Old Time Motor Show Saturday 29th March 2014. Entry is for all ages with prizes for all categories plus encouragement awards for effort and great ideas. Use old bicycles , scrap, recycled materials to create your very own, unique masterpiece. Contact David Bond 0429 203 441 or Laurie Lupton 9642 1062 for more info.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer Grants 2013 call for applications now open Department of Families, Housing, Community Services & Indigenous AffairsFAHCSIA How much? $16 million is available for Volunteer Grants 2013 Apply when? From 15/03/2013 to 24/04/2013 Who to contact? Volunteer Grants Hotline 1800 183 374 (Mon - Fri 9am to 5pm AEST) Email [email protected]

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#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

Free Computers for Men’s Sheds Beyondblue and the Melbourne Chinese Lions Club are kindly donating a total of 55 computers to Men’s Sheds across Australia. The Melbourne Chinese Lions Club is also donating one-off money grants towards internet connections. The computers are available

to those sheds with their own Men’s Shed webpage on The Shed Online. To apply for a free computer for your Men’s Shed please email it to [email protected]. au by close of business Friday, 29 March 2012. If your Shed is not registered

with The Shed Online please register it via: www.theshedonline.org.au/ register/amsa For assistance in setting up your Men’s Shed webpage please go to: www.theshedonline.org.au/help/ faqs/mens-shed-profiles

WA M S A has bumper stickers and introductory pamphlets for distribution to sheds upon request. Please direct your enquire to: Gary Bryant at [email protected] or 0414950902

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#16 The official newsletter of the Western Australian Men’s Shed Association www.wamsa.org.au

SCROUNGERS PAGE It has become evident to WAMSA that some sheds are struggling in their attempts to acquire tools, machinery, office equipment, timber or anything else they may require to make their shed a success. There are also those sheds that have things that are surplus to their requirements. To this end WAMSA is trying to get these sheds together by creating a swap and scrounge market place. Your requests will be placed on the web site and in the Warbler.

FREE

SWAP

FOR SALE

WANTED

ITEM DESCRIPTION

CONTACT DETAILS Shed Name Name Phone Mobile

PLEASE SEND COMPLETED FORM TO: [email protected] Your request will be placed on the web site and in the Warbler

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