Men’s Shed re-opens

The Phillip Island Men’s Shed reopened its doors last Tuesday after fourteen weeks of lockdown.

Members were very pleased to get back to work in their spacious and well-equipped facility and resume their projects and workshop activities.

About thirty residents regularly use the Shed.

It is a place to get together, be creative and get involved in activities that interest them.

With numbers at this point now limited to ten, the Shed will operate three mornings a week, instead of two, to accommodate all 30 members.

Since its inception back in 2010, the Men’s Shed on Phillip Island has proved to be a very popular facility.

With wood and metal work equipment available for communal use, the Men’s Shed has become a hive of activity for men of all ages and goes from strength to strength.

Co-ordinator Terry Heffernan and his team provide a relaxed, friendly and safe environment for both individual and communal activities, and socialisation is an important part of each session.

The woodwork section has a dust extractor, and the metal section includes a lathe and metal benders.

Participants can come along and use the tools in both sections to work on their own individual projects.

Members also get involved in repair work and projects for community members.

A community repair and restoration service for both timber and metal items is on offer, for a very reasonable price.

Pre Covid, the Shed assisted groups such as the Phillip Island RSL, Offshore Theatre and the Cowes Primary School with some of their requirements.

And students from both Cowes Primary and Newhaven College enjoyed visiting the Shed on a regular basis, where they were taught basic woodwork skills and learned to create items under the tuition of the members.

Those days have gone for the moment, but post-Covid will no doubt return.

New members are always very welcome.

For further information, contact the Men’s Shed Co-ordinator Terry Heffernan on 0438 808 428.