Hi, my name is Michael Lee and I'm the secretary of the Camden Men’s Shed (CMS). Sadly four floods in four months destroyed the old shed, so now we’re a Men’s Shed…without a shed. “Men don’t talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder.” We all know a man who has time in his life and skills to offer – who would benefit from a connection with other men. Retirement, an empty nest, relationship breakdown, retrenchment or illnesses are just some of the problems that men may find difficult to deal with on their own. A point of connection is so important to preventing isolation, loneliness and social withdrawal. A men’s shed offers this connection. A bustling environment of work, shared skills and mateship – all with a direct community benefit. If you looked inside your average Men’s Shed, you might see a number of men fixing furniture, restoring items for the local school, planting a garden for a nearby aged care facility, repairing lawn mowers, or even making a cubby house for Camp Quality to raffle. You might see a few young men working with the older men obtaining new skills and learning something about life. You will see tea bags, coffee cups and a comfortable area where men can sit and talk. You will probably also see an area where men can learn to cook for themselves or how to contact their families by computer. For over 12 years the Camden Men’s Shed was a valuable community asset and a haven for men of all ages to get together. Since it’s demise, the Committee has worked hard to find a new piece of land, negotiate a lease and build the plans. Fortunately we have been provided with an acre of land on a long term lease at peppercorn rent. The next step is where you come in. We have already raised $180,000, but we need another $130,000 to complete the project. That’s a big number! We hope that corporate partners will take care of some of that – but every dollar counts. For example: $50 is enough to buy a kettle for the kitchen $100 is enough to hinge the door on the front $1,000 is enough to put in a working toilet $10,000 is enough to help us complete the wastewater treatment system No amount is too small. Our new Shed will provide all the amenities and workshop facilities of the old Shed. It will also offer a much-needed 40-seat meeting room, with adjoining kitchen and toilet facilities, available to other local community service groups. Please help us bring the Camden Men’s Shed back to life and work. Thank you for your time.
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