When the Newstead Men’s Shed first formed three decades ago, the founding members would never have dreamed that one day women would be admitted into the group. Last week, however, the first eight female inductees happily made their way into the workshop – with a further six already signed up!
Shed secretary Graham Lees told the Express that the main driver for opening up to women was a large reduction in male membership, a trend that has been spreading rapidly in sheds across Australia.
“Women have been asking for some time if they could get involved in the Newstead Shed so we put it to a vote and the men unanimously said, ‘Yes, let’s do it’,” Graham said.
“I can’t see any negatives to this. Men’s sheds are social support groups that help with connectivity, and that creed will still be the main part of what we do, but at the same time the women can learn new skills and contribute their own knowledge.
“Some of the women know how to do upholstery, which the men don’t know how to do. We know how to repair the chairs and soon we’ll be able to upholster them too!”
Longtime shed member Denis Miller said that for the past couple of years, the shed in Newstead had been transitioning from a men’s hideout to a community service organisation.
“So it just made sense to involve women,” he said.
Of the 14 new female members, many expressed their excitement at being able to access a wide-range of tools and learn the skills and expertise to use them, but they were also keen to have connection and be a part of a community group.
New inductee Jen Lacy said she had joined as a way to stay connected and to learn new skills, particularly after her husband Barry (one of the founding members), bought her an impact drill before going into hospital.
“I didn’t even know what an impact drill was, so I thought I’d come down here and learn how to use it,” she said.
Fellow inductee Anne Berg said she had been trying to get into the shed since it first opened.
“I think the attitude has changed a bit now. I joined because I want to learn the skills. I love fixing things and making things, so knowing how to use the tools right, how to use the scary power tools and how to do basic things like joins will be great,” she said.
The small community shed, located in the heart of Newstead, will transition gradually to a joint membership model, starting with two days a week for the men and one for the women who will be helped by some of the male members. But over time, this will move to a day for the whole club together as well as specific men’s and women’s days.
But the men will need to watch out, as one inductee told the Express she thought the change might lead to a revolution!
“It’s going to evolve and we’ll be throwing out the cake pans and taking up the drills!”
