Menzshed Hawera

Geoffrey Coubrough from Menzshed Hawera

South Taranaki’s first Mens Shed proposed
A meeting last Saturday afternoon in the Hawera Club attracted thirty members of the public, interested in establishing a Mens Shed in the town.
Welcomed by Geoff Coubrough who, along with Peter Gulliver, has been exploring the possibilities of creating a shed in Hawera. After a period of researching the concept and visiting the Whanganui and New Plymouth sheds they had concluded the time was right to convene a meeting of interested parties to try and get a shed up and running.
Mr Coubrough, then introduced Murray Campbell, a member of the Henley Mens Shed in Masterton, to explain the background of the movement and how Mens Sheds operated. Mr Campbell opened his address by showing a video, filmed in his shed, promoting the benefits such a shed generated to not only its members, but the wider community.
He then went on to explain how, in the mid nineties in rural Australia it was realised that men over the age of 65 were committing suicide at an alarming rate. Research showed that these men, following retirement, became isolated, lonely, depressed and ultimately suicidal. They had a mental health problem. The idea was born that if a building with tools in it was made available, men came, and by working together, created new friendships, passed on and learned new skills and generally enjoyed the camaraderie which improved their health and well being.
Since then the phenomenon has spread worldwide with around 130 sheds operating in New Zealand. Murray described some of the challenges which presented themselves each day, from broken chairs to kindergartens requiring toys and equipment to be made or repaired and requests from individuals and organisations for assistance. Mens sheds are busy places.
The meeting finally elected a steering committee, headed by Geoff Coubrough, to form a Mens shed and seek a suitable building to base it in.