News from the Shed October 2020

Quite a number of items this month and I still have a couple of Heiko’s Garden Tips in reserve … more of that next time.

CHRISTMAS FUNCTION

Likely no surprise that the COVID-19 restrictions will, most probably, limit our Christmas Bash this year. In deference to the economic hardship which is widespread in the community –Kingborough Helping Hands need support—our raffle has been held over.

Your Committee is working through what can be done to make the celebration as good as possible – perhaps a limited to members BBQ with a small door prize and lower ticket price. Quite frankly, we cannot expect anything like the scale of previous year’s  events. More to come.

CARPARK SEALING

Channel Men’s Shed has made application for a $20,000 grant, pretty much on behalf of us, the Fire Brigade, School, the Cricket Club and the Junior Soccer all of whom use the car park from time to time. If the Tasmanian Men’s Shed Association get approval, this, together with our own $10,000 and the Council’s (in-kind) $55,000 will permit partial sealing of the car park.

MORNING TEA SURVEY

An excellent response rate from our members and pretty evenly divided between regular workers in the Shed and those who turn up less frequently.

Most interestingly, it is the latter group who indicated that, in the event that they could expect a regularly schedule morning tea break, they would turn up more frequently. The other interesting finding was the lack of support for an “all to attend – tools down” morning tea break.

As a result off member input the Shed will be introducing scheduled Morning Teas from November each Tuesday and Thursday, at 10.30AM. Attendance is strongly encouraged but not mandated.   COVID-19 Safety Plan is in place (6 places in the Music Room and 4 around the kitchen table and) when numbers exceed this, an outdoors event for all attendees.

Too, we must acknowledge the firmly worded concerns regarding the pandemic related risks which were dissuading a number of members from attending the Shed. To address those, we believe that our COVID-19 Safety Plan is both firmly based on the best advice we can garner and is regularly updated as the restrictions are amended.

INTERNATIONAL MEN’S DAY

We will have a quiet celebration of this event – 19 November – prior to our Lunchtime BBQ with, from 10.30 a number of members making them selves available for an informal Men’s Health Forum where we can chat about the health challenges that our advancing maturity naturally brings. No preaching, just the chance to hear about what outcomes you can be expect from prostrate, heart, joint replacement and cataract treatment. This from laymen who have been there and done that.