Sent to the sheds …

“Send him down to the Shed” is the theme for this year’s Menz Shed week being held throughout New Zealand in early September. Activities are being organised by sheds in the Waikato to promote the week.

Waipā District Council’s property projects specialist, Andrew Don and Cambridge Community Menzshed outside the historic Leamington Dairy Factory. Photo: Supplied.

Men of the newly revived Cambridge Menz Shed are renovating the recently acquired old Leamington dairy factory. Myles Prebble, spokesman for the shed, says it is “all go” at present. Men are cleaning out the inside of the building, and the outside is being prepared for painting.

Once cleaned and machinery installed, the shed will be ready for business. Prebble is encouraging Cambridge seniors to get out of their armchairs and “call by the shed”.

“It is just a great place to be, yarning with old mates and making new ones,” he said.

Myles Prebble has helped revive the Menzshed in Cambridge. Photo: Roy Pilott.

Following on from their successful Men’s Health Expo, the Te Awamutu Community Menz Shed is embracing the week with a presentation by Sanders Pharmacy about gout.

Historically regarded as an “old man’s” problem, it has become relevant in today’s fast-moving world, chairman Richard Cato said.

Richard Cato

“Getting older men to speak about and seek help is a continuing problem for health professionals. When they are within their own company, they tend to “open up” more about their situation.

“Loneliness is one of the biggest killers of men, especially when they finish work. The shed offers men a sense of purpose, a safe, caring, and supporting environment,” he says.

A quote from their recently published “Sheddies” book sums up what happens to men who become armchair-bound and stay home.

Les Liddington, left, Doug Grayling and Te Awamutu Menzshed president Richard Cato look through copies of Sheddies.

“I have found the comradeship and fellowship at the Menz Shed most rewarding. It stimulates the mental well-being of fellows, and I have enjoyed teaching others the skills I have learned over the years. I tried to get my brother-in-law to join but he turned me down and just ‘cabbaged away’. I am still going strong and enjoying it at 89, doing what I love doing, working with wood,” says long time shed member, Ian Stratford.

The key message, Ian says, is “send them down to the shed”, where they will meet new mates, learn new skills, and most of all drink cups of tea.

Helping the community is a big part of the shed’s ethos, says Cato.

“Couples who are downsizing their homes, or where a partner has died, often do not have a place to store excess tools or other equipment and often they generously donate it to their local Menz Shed. Such donations are very welcome, and are either added to the equipment used in the sheds or are recycled through garage sales.”

See: Menzshed help flying the flags again

Te Awamutu Menz Shed leader Richard Cato shows the branches’ recent Sheddies publication to national chairman David Broadhead.

More Recent News

Kiwi exports rise

The number of kiwi raised at Maungatautari in Waipā and sent to new homes has reached almost 350. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the re-introduction of kiwi on Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari – four…

Back with a bullet

The impact a two-month closure of the Desert Road would have for Te Awamutu was the best-read story online last month. It was a comfortable winner over Viv Posselt’s piece on the Waipā women’s hub…

Tribunal departure ‘not unexpected’

After 17 years’ service, Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson (ONZM) has been replaced on the Waitangi Tribunal. King Country born and raised, Simpson has extensive experience in governance roles, as highlighted in Waikato Business News last…

Brigade is thrice blessed

Dozens of people turned up at Pirongia Volunteer Fire Brigade last Saturday to witness the blessing of not one, but three, brigade vehicles. The event was arranged to bless the latest addition to the fleet…