The Sandgate Men’s Shed is celebrating 10 years at the Brighton Health Campus, marking a decade of support for local men.
The shed opened in Sandgate in 2010 with just 15 members on a site behind St Margaret’s Anglican Church. Membership increased thanks to volunteer efforts and support from Brisbane City Council, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, local businesses and community organisations.
A donation of timber from the demolished Shorncliffe Pier helped members raise funds through the sale of handcrafted pens and clocks, enabling the shed to relocate in 2016.
With membership reaching 40 and continuing to grow, Metro North Health invited the group to move to its current home at Brighton Health Campus.
More Than a Workshop: Supporting Men’s Health and Wellbeing
Secretary Peter Lumsdale, who has been a member for 14 years and served as secretary for the past decade, said the shed provided an all-male environment, the opportunity to share and gain knowledge, to participate in meaningful activities, increase health awareness, and support for those experiencing health issues or dealing with a terminal medical diagnosis.
“Based on spouses’ feedback, men who attend a shed have a better life focus, are more self-assured and interact positively with their family,” he said.
“As an unexpected extra, the community utilises the shed as a repair resource to get damaged items fixed, family treasures restored, and unusual things made.”
He said several people helped secure the shed’s current home, including founding president Les Batson, former state MP Stirling Hinchliffe, Metro North Health executive Chris Seiboth and Danielle Grant-Cross from Queensland Health.
Members regularly support community initiatives, including projects for Lions clubs, monthly barbecues for patients at the Queensland Health Transitional Care Centre at Zillmere and the manufacture of therapeutic aids and disability-access items such as wheelchair ramps.
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