WHILE on tour through the Northern Tablelands on Tuesday, Minister for Mental Health Kevin Humphries joined local MP Adam Marshall on a visit to the Guyra Men’s Shed.
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Mr Humphries, an advocate for Men’s Sheds and the role they play in the community, said they were a powerful tool in reaching out to men, particularly those who may have a mental illness or at risk of developing a mental illness.
“The Guyra Men’s Shed is a fantastic organisation and the good work they are doing to help men in the local community is an example to Men’s Sheds across NSW,” Mr Humphries said.
“By bringing men together in a social environment and providing them with a purpose, this Men’s Shed is playing an extremely important role in combating issues such as loneliness, which can be a trigger for mental illness.
“I cannot speak highly enough of the wonderful work Men’s Sheds across NSW do in promoting social inclusion among men and providing a practical way of dealing with men’s health issues.”
Mr Marshall said since its establishment, the Shed has brought together men of all ages and skills sets together.
“The Shed is well regarded within the community as a place where local men form friendships as they work together on a diverse range of projects,” Mr Marshall said.
“Being actively engaged within your community is vital to anyone’s wellbeing and the men that come here to the Guyra shed are involved in some great projects.
“They recently put together the trophies for the Mountain Bike Ride which was a fund raiser for Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
“They tend to do a lot of repair and maintenance jobs for locals and they’ve also been selling the wood shaving for cat litter - a good little income which is all ploughed back into the shed.
“Each men’s shed has its own individual character and culture and what they produce certainly depends on the particulars skills of the members – they also respond to the needs of the community.
Mr Marshall said that many men have grown up in a culture where they don’t talk about feelings and emotions.
“Physical or mental illness, retrenchment or relationship breakdown are just some of the problems that men find it hard to deal with on their own.
“However, through initiatives such as the Men’s Shed barriers are slowly being broken down and that’s why I cannot speak highly enough of the work Men’s Sheds do in the community.”