A visit from the Department of Health and Human Services left Wangaratta’s Men’s Shed on the brink of closing down, so members turned to the city’s 81-year-old mayor for help.
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The problem is the size of the Shanley Street shed, which after eight years of operation, has become unsafe because it is too crowded with various equipment.
Mayor Ken Clarke made an impassioned plea to fellow councillors at Tuesday night’s meeting, asking them to grant permission for the group to build another storage shed on the council-owned land.
“The members who were working on projects were beside themselves following a visit from DHHS in which they were threatened with closure because of the occupational health and safety issues. If we were honest about looking after our elderly citizens ... then I would hope that this arrangement can be supported by councillors,” he said.
“The men’s shed offers men the opportunity to congregate with other men of retirement age and undertake projects that benefit the citizens in the rural city.”
The motion was supported unanimously.
Wangaratta’s Men’s Shed president Charlie Parkinson said he was worried when DHHS staff conducted a walk-through of the shed and warned members the space had become too tight, but it was not surprising.
“We’ve outgrown what we’ve got and to continue on the way we’ve gone in the last seven or eight years, we need more,” he said.
“We can’t put anything outside the shed because it’s gone if it’s of any value.”
He was grateful for councillors’ support and said the shed members will now start working on a plan for what size storage shed was needed, and a funding application to the council.
About 30 men visit the Wangaratta Men’s Shed each day it is open to work on various wood and metal projects, which also allows them talk to each other about health issues.
“There’s chaps out there on walking frames, they’ve had strokes, they’ve had issues,” Mr Parkinson said.
“If they weren’t out there, they’d be sitting home and going nuts.”
Cr Harvey Benton, the second-oldest sitting councillor, also put his support behind expanding the Men’s Shed.
He said 40 per cent of people over the age of 75 in Wangaratta lived alone, so it was important to support them.
“We have a situation of mental health wellbeing that’s come to us councillors and it’s been a bit of a surprise to some of us … especially in the males,” Cr Benton said.
“I think this goes to help some of the people in that area.”
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