Strong contingent of women bolstering Manning Men’s Shed ranks

It’s all in the name. Well, not so much for Manning Men’s Shed.

The collective is a lot more than its moniker, with a strong contingent of women making up its members.

Como resident Gwen Sputore is a regular at the Downey Drive workshop, where she tinkers and creates with fellow females every Thursday.

“When I was a little girl, my dad had a shed and I liked being in there with him,” she said.

“I enjoy the making of things and the fantastic women involved and the friendships we’ve made.”

Ms Sputore said the group comprised women of a wide age range, some of whom attended the shed around their work commitments.

Brian Graham has been involved with Manning Men’s Shed since 2018 and said it provided an opportunity for people to safely work and learn about woodwork and metalwork machinery.

He said opening membership up to women had been “a great decision”.

“They have embraced the spirit of the MMS; they are really enthusiastic and motivated,” he said.

“One of the things I enjoy is at the beginning of the day seeing members arriving at the door with big smiles on their faces.”

Manning Men’s Shed is hosting a barbecue on September 9 from 10am to 2pm to mark the 30th anniversary of the first men’s shed opening in Australia.

The event will include an exhibition of works, furniture and tools for sale, demonstrations, and food and drinks for purchase.

More details here.