Our Shed has submitted an application for funding of the extension of the current shed building and for additional equipment to expand the range of activities of the shed.
The Scheme is being sponsored by the Victorian government which has allocated $30M across 30 regions throughout Victoria. There will be $1M available for successful projects in our area which covers the Mornington Peninsula.
Funding will be based on the popularity of eligible projects within each region based on voting by the general public in each locality.
It is essential that we get as many of our friends and families to vote for our project as described below. Only people living within a radius of 5km of our Men’s Shed will be eligible to vote for our project. They must be at least 16 years of age and can only vote once. Voting closes on Monday 17th September at 5pm.
There are two ways to vote- online and by phone
For people who have an email address and are computer literate, go online to the website pickmyproject.vic.gov.au. In the top right corner click on REGISTER and follow the prompts to register your details including your email address and mobile phone number. You will then receive an email that will include an activation link. Click on the activation link in that email to complete registration and you will then be taken to the pickmyproject website. You will then see a list of projects in our area, the first of which is our own. You must choose 3 projects (in any order) to complete your vote.
The second option for voting, is to call the Pick my Project line on 1800 797 818 to get assistance on voting. You will need to know the 3 projects that you wish to vote for to complete voting by phone.
Our project submission is as follows:
Extension of current Men's Shed building
New facilities for fitness, wood
working, computer learning
Our current Men’s Shed has grown by 50% in the last 12 months. Membership is open to (generally older) residents living in Safety Beach, Dromana, and neighbouring suburbs. We plan to extend the current Shed building by 24*4 metres and fit out to expand existing facilities to add space and equipment for exercise and fitness, wood working, and for education and training in the use of computers and tablets. The additional facilities will also be used for education on safety and for demonstrations on the correct use tools and equipment for carpentry, wood turning, metal work, welding and other applications.
Men’s sheds are hugely beneficial for older men by providing an opportunity for social interaction and many options for constructive use of skills as well as the opportunity to learn new skills from others who are generally more than willing to share their knowledge and skills. Our Shed was built in 2016 largely funded by fundraising activities of the growing membership. It is managed by a committee elected each year from the membership and is open to members and their invitees 3 days of each week. We expect that the hours of operation will be expanded to meet growing demand.