Shed on the money

By Kath Gannaway
The group, which started up after the 2009 bushfires, received confirmation of the funding at the end of February.
The project has been auspiced by Yarra Ranges Council who will manage the funding for the construction of a 200 square metre shed, annexed to the Gary Cooper Pavilion in McKenzie Reserve in Yarra Glen.
YG&DMS president George Miller and secretary Henry Verhoeven said the funding announcement meant they could now move ahead with plans for a facility which would provide short and long-term support not only to men, but to the wider community in and around Yarra Glen.
Mr Verhoeven said there was great support for a Men’s Shed in Yarra Glen but funding had proved unattainable through the traditional Men’s Shed funding bodies – including the federal, state and local government and philanthropic trusts which he said had been inundated with requests after the bushfires.
Mr Verhoeven said one of the acknowledged areas of need in the community was mental health and the effects of the fires upon men in both the short and the long term.
“VBAF accepted our often stated aim to assist those men, and has made this grant from funds donated to assist affected Victorians,” he said.
There are 600 Men’s Sheds throughout Australia including in Warburton, Yarra Junction and Healesville, and Mr Verhoeven said they were recognised as a viable way of assisting men who were reluctant to discuss their health and well-being issues with medical professionals, of helping men adjust to retirement and of mentoring the younger generation through school programs.
The shed will be divided into working bays to allow a number of activities to be run simultaneously and there will be the mandatory “cuppa and chat” area.
Building on to the existing pavilion has cut the cost of the project enormously with the Men’s Shed using the existing meeting room, kitchen and toilet facilities.
Mr Miller said the planning permit application process had started with Yarra Ranges Council and a builder had been appointed who would manage the building program.
“We have 80 people who have expressed an interest in being part of this and strong support from the wider community, as was demonstrated at the consultation meeting we had last year,” he said.
The group has raised $10,000 and Mr Miller said they were hoping to have the building up by the middle of the year and the doors open for business soon after.
The funding is from the $20.5 million allocated by VBAF for medium to long-term recovery initiatives in communities impacted by the 2009 bushfires.