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Welcome

Strathfield Mens Shed provides a facility that empowers men of all ages to socialise and do things in a practical way. Participation is encouraged to develop good self-esteem, respect for each other and to support our local community projects.

Members may learn and share skills such as woodworking, wood turning, metalwork and other hand crafts, all in a safe manner.

Mens Sheds are places of encouragement for all to take an interest in their own health and well-being. Good health is also based on many factors and becoming a member of a Mens Shed gives a person that safe and busy environment where many of these things can be found in an atmosphere of old-fashioned mateship. And, importantly, there is no pressure.

You can just come and have a yarn and a cuppa if that is all you’re looking for.

Members come from all walks of life – the bond that unites them is often they are people with time on their hands and who would like to do something meaningful with that time.

If a man’s shed is his castle, then the Strathfield Mens Shed is his kingdom. If you would like to share your skills or just to have a chat, then drop by.

All visitors are welcome.

We are normally open Wednesday and Saturdays 10am – 4pm.

However due to the covid 19 lockdown the shed is currently closed until further notice.

The modern Mens Shed is an updated version of the shed in the backyard that has long been a part of Australian culture.

Strathfield Mens Shed inc. Newsletter – November, 2020

The Strathfield MenShed will be participating in the National Garage Sale Trail which will be opened to the public:

  • Saturday 21-Nov-2020 from 9am to 3pm; and
  • Sunday 22-Nov-2020 from 9am to noon.

You are requested to assist in arranging the display of goods that we hope to sell on the benches on the right of the walkway in the main woodwork area.  Only the things that are for sale should be put on these workbenches.  Safety tape will be used to exclude the other area of the shed.

Leading to the weekend we are intending the following activities;

  • Wednesday 18-Nov-2020 – members to assist moving items for sales from storage to the benches.  Shed will still be available to the members, however members will be expected to help for a couple of hours.
  • Friday 20-Nov-2020 – from 9am, setting up of the shed ready for public opening – members as available.
  • Saturday/Sunday – Garage sale days.

A roster white board is available in the common room to enter your availability.  If you are not planning to come to the Shed Wednesday 18-Nov., but can help over the weekend, please reply to this email with your availability and we will add to the whiteboard.

Note that the shed will not be available for project work on Saturday 21-Nov-2020.

SMS Secretary appointment

Nick joined the Strathfield Men’s Shed in January 2019 and has been a member now going on 20 months.

He joined with his son James to mentor him as he did his year 12 timber project.

Nick is now in semi-retirement as he looks after his mum, but his career prior to retirement was in the quality industry, ensuring companies complied to their relevant quality standards.

Nick enjoys his timber hobbies and just socialising with all the members at the men’s shed.

His selection to the Committee as Secretary was confirmed at the Committee Meeting on 7 Nov.

Presentation of artwork by Master Woodcarver, Peter Look

At the toolbox meeting on 7 Nov, Peter Look presented “Slender” to President Michael Cosby as a gift to the shed. Carved from a single branch of a hardwood tree. He has engraved the base in English and Chinese.

Toolbox Meeting

President Michael Cosby addressed the assembled members to outline happenings to come to those members present on Saturday.
Matters mentioned: A Xmas lunch to be for members on 5th Dec. Menu will be advised.

The Committee thanked the Woodcarving group for their ongoing cleaning efforts of the toilets during the year. This roster will expire at the end of the year, so other members will be required to shoulder this responsibility in 2021.

Luke Power is getting to work on a unique studio light for home reusing old timber barriers from our wood stack.Luke joined The Shed community recently to complement his work at the ABC.

Strathfield Mens Shed inc. Newsletter – July, 2020

With the news that the number of Covit 19 infections are rising again around the state The Shed is continuing to open with caution stopping entry till temperatures are checked.

Hand sanitizer is there but is not being used enough. Men appear to be lax in this regard, so don’t forget on entry and before leaving – sanitise. Maintaining distance is mostly being adhered to.

Please stay away from The Shed if you are feeling unwell or may have been in places where infections are known to have been spread.

Annual general meeting

With the Annual General Meeting coming up on Sat. 8th August, a plan is being devised for spacing chairs the correct distance apart to comply with NSW Health advice. Face masks are optional but are a safe option. For that day, the tea urn and supplies will be relocated to the barbecue area to give us more space to gather while keeping apart.

Mens health

How long is it since you had a health check? Men are renowned for overlooking regular check-ups. Don’t overlook your most important piece of preventative maintenance. Have a look at AMSA’s health promotion program ‘Spanner in the Works’.
Read more here at malehealth.org.au where you’ll also find a handy ‘symptom checker’ tool.

The Shed Wireless

Find out more about what other Shedders are thinking and doing at

http://mensshed.org/theshedwireless/

or Listen and subscribe to The Shed Wireless here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-shed-wireless-episode-8/id1510493380?i=1000478335631

Mister Newsletter

Do you want to know more about mens’issues and have a great resource at your fingertips? Look at the latest issue of Mister Newsletter

https://www.misternewsletter.com.au/newsletters

By subscribing, you can have the latest issue sent straight to you.

Men’s Shed Week is Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October 2020. To celebrate, there will be a challenge for members on 30th Sept. This will be announced soon.

Street Library

Our Street Library is now erected next to our
entry path and has been attracting attention, both for its novelty look and for the books. Kindly decorated with an Australian flavour by Frank’s sister, Madeline. It is the answer to Councillor Karen Pensebene’s request for a street library for a new Early Learning Centre, Woodgreen, in Strathfield. A similar one for them is nearly ready for erection. Any decoration for it will be their own.

Little Free Libraries. Lidcombe Primary School has requested help for their research class to make some Little Free Libraries to put around the school for their students. During the coming term each will try designing and making a cardboard model then put together some made from plywood. A timely donation of suitable plywood offcuts from F.E.Mitchell has helped.

Hardware Donation

Canterbury Timber has moved to South Strathfield.
Some discontinued brands of zinc plated bolts and nuts were offered to The Shed. Ken and Chris went over there to look at them and found there were too many to take straight away. Last Saturday, they arrived by truck, some still in boxes, unopened and many in plastic Giantz Bins. Some of the racks for these bins have been underutilised in The Shed and now have been put to good use. Chris, Ken and Nick have cleared the space near the nail and screw shelves and put up a wall of racks. This has been a lot of extra work for them. Please thank them.

Timber Storage, In the corridor leading to the metalwork area there are shelves for long timber. Over time this had become unstable as short pieces were often put in there. Under Ken’s direction the whole lot was taken out and sorted. Now the rear part of shelving has shorter wood up to 2.5 metres while the front section is for longer pieces. Members are reminded to avoid putting short pieces in this shelving.

Coming up

The Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 8th August.
Nominations for positions on the Committee will be accepted up to 4.00pm on Saturday 1st August.

Strathfield Mens Shed inc. Newsletter – Mid June, 2020

Gentlemen, it’s good to be back in The Shed after the forced shutdown. When I look at the grim situation in other countries, I can see that it was warranted. We are not completely clear of Covit-19 and Winter still has its course to run. At The Shed, those who have returned are keeping their distance and using the correct cleaning procedures. In the Common Room Michael O’Connor has been wiping everything within reach.

The photos below show some of our Members who have been back to bring our Shed back to the way it is supposed to be – noisy, maybe but real action again.

Before our opening day, there was a big clean up to make sure all was clean and safe. Thanks to Ken adequate supplies of cleaning liquids and gear was on hand, then to finish – some lunch. The great team that came must also be thanked: Nick, Gabriel, Matthew, Michael, Yves, Kerry, Chris, and Tim. I hope I have included everyone.

There has been no indication that Bunnings stores are ready to start Saturday barbecues yet. When they do, notice will be given and there will be a call for helpers. We need the barbecues to keep the financial side healthy.

Our calendar shows that a Members General meeting is due on Wednesday 24th June. This is the end of the Financial Year and Membership Renewals may be made from July 1. If you wish to have a matter included on the agenda it can be sent by email in the days ahead on admin@strathfieldmensshed.org.au This is your chance to raise matters that you wish to know more about or suggestions to improve the culture of our Shed. Members’ Meeting are to keep you informed about all matters in regard to the running of the Shed. Starting at 12.00 noon to allow some work before it starts.

Please have a thought about standing for one of the positions. Eligibility for the Committee is to be a member for two previous Annual General meetings. Just ask if you are not certain about your eligibility. Nominations must be in by 4.00pm 1st August.


Members General Meeting
Wednesday 24th June, 2020.
12.00 noon.


Annual General Meeting and
Election of Officers
Satuurday 8th August, 2020.
12.00 noon.


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Strathfield Men’s Shed is open again!

Saturday 6th of June marked the re-opening of our Men’s Shed. The committee spent some time in the proceeding week putting together procedures for cleaning, sign-in, and health requirements and the day went smoothly with everyone playing their part.

On arrival all members are subject to a temperature check by the duty officer of the day to help reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19 along with the usual sign-in – and now sign-out – routine required by NSW Health to allow easier contact tracing in case anyone who visited the shed is found to have been infected.

Given the ongoing risk associated with Covid 19 we would ask anyone who is not a member who would like to join, to call before they come (Wednesday and Saturday 10.00am to 4.00pm) and arrange their visit with the duty officer please.

Members back on the tools at last…
Members and committee are investing lots of time and effort in sanitising the most used spaces in the shed.