Signs advertising the Eden Men’s Shed will now be hung from a former Scout hall. Photo: Kristy McBain MP Facebook.
A South Coast space to combat male loneliness is packing its bags and moving to a new location – one that promises to be more “in front of people’s faces”.
Bega Valley Shire Council recently gave Eden Men’s Shed the green light to move into a historic Scout hall, approving a 20-year lease.
President Adrian Nash said the move was welcomed by members as they settled into the new home.
“Everyone’s happy about that, and we’d love to take it on.”
For Mr Nash, the move means they can operate without a pause, after their previous location was put up for sale.
But it was a long wait to find a new home.
“We’ve been looking for our own property since I’ve been there, which is seven years … Nothing was suitable.
“I knew that had been vacated for a few years, and nothing was happening with it. I started asking a few questions about it.”
Council meeting documents state an existing lease, held by the Eden Sea Scouts, was set to run until January 2028.
However, Scouts NSW was looking to end the lease after scout activities in the area finished.
The documents also state that the land-only lease also sees the Men’s Shed take on ownership and liability for the existing Scout hall building.
The Men’s Shed had initially lodged plans with the council to build its own permanent home, before seeking to move into the hall after it became available.
The group began moving in shortly before Christmas and has plans for “cleaning up and refurbishing” the hall into the new year, with plans for minor modifications such as a new coat of paint and new flooring.
Mr Nash said the hall’s other amenities included a shower, toilets and a kitchen.
He and his fellow members also plan to attach a dedicated woodworking shed to the main hall in the new year.
“That’ll be our only major project! Designing the new shed for the woodworking will be perfect for us, because we can put all our own designs in it [for the layout].”
“We can get everything right.”
At the moment, there are 24 paying members of the shed, but he hopes the site will help attract newer members.
“This will be more in front of people’s faces … The other one was on a side street and hard to find.
“It took me four months to find it when I moved here, I think!”
The group was formed in 2007 as a way to support Eden men’s physical, emotional and social well-being through socialising, community projects and various activities.
“They’ve got men to talk to,” Mr Nash said.
“Without something like this, it would be quite difficult for them as they get older and lose their partners, so to speak. It helps them … if they want to learn something, there’s other members who will show them what to do.”
He also said the shed wanted to ensure the hall was available to the community.
“We’ve got a big hall there – it’s a really big hall, and we want to keep it open down the track for other social groups that may want to use it for various events that they put on.
“They might want it for discussions or something with their own group … we’re thinking about doing that for people in the local community here.”
The Eden Men’s Shed’s new home is the former Eden Scout Hall, on the Princes Highway in Eden. Find out more information about it by visiting its Facebook group or website.
