A space for men to gather, to socialize while promoting health and well-being via a variety of projects and health information; that defines the Men’s Shed.
“Men don’t talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder; so ‘shoulder to shoulder’ became the slogan for the Men’s Shed,” explained Gerry Hennings, chair of the Kamloops District Men’s Shed. “It’s men helping men and extending to helping people in the community.”
Hennings described the shed as a social place and a place of learning. There is a training and safety programme and a buddy system. The shed provides a physical area were activities and programmes have a purpose. That purpose is for men to work on community projects, promote personal interests and address loneliness.
Men’s Sheds are community based, non-profit and non-commercial. They are for all men of all ages, remarked Hennings. The Kamloops Men’s Shed has moved into a space at the Kamloops Senior Community Centre at Cottonwood Manor, 730 Cottonwood Ave.
“The Kamloops Shed has an average age of 65 to 75, with the youngest member being 40 and our oldest being 92. He is deaf but uses hearing aides and a mic. We know to face him when speaking. We have about 30 members. Three to four members come in per day at different times,” he explained.
“Right now we are refinishing 25 tables for Riverbend.”
The members repair a variety of things such as furniture, if the piece can be repaired. Kamloops members have provided Bat Nursery Kits for the Second Kamara Rangers, and working with People in Motion the Men’s Shed built lightweight and easily movable accessibility ramps for access to businesses.
They also assist residents who need help with minor repairs for cupboards or door jams. While they do not charge for their work, they gratefully accept donations.
The first Men’s Shed was introduced in Australia around 1980. It was geared to encourage older men’s well-being after a study by Professor Barry Goldings showed the life experiences of senior, retired men were unsatisfactory. Golding found the attention afforded elderly men was inadequate and therefore happiness was greatly lacking.
Maxine Chaseling is acknowledged as establishing the first shed. The original ‘shed’ was established in Goolwa, South Australia in 1993. The Shed took its queue from the backyard sheds where men restored furniture and fixed lawn mowers. Later the men built garden boxes for non-profits. They also began selling the craft items they’d made. These activities encouraged personal development, learning new skills and building relationships.
Seventy percent of sheds are wood working sheds, however, there are ‘men’s sheds’ that meet at Tim Horton’s at a designated time, or at a park, or just for lunch on a Tuesday. Whatever it is that meets their needs. A shed can be whatever the men decide. It’s about getting men together, out of the house, explained Hennings.
They need one man to lead and a couple more to meet, Hennings said. Cost is economical and membership dues keep the shed viable. “Each shed is different, independent, it’s up to the men to decide what’s needed. The shed works together to assist the community at large.”
The Kamloops Men’s Shed was recently invited to the Ashcroft to speak regarding a Men’s Shed in that community.