BATEAU BAY MEN’S SHED
ANNUAL REPORT – 22 September 2011
Welcome everyone to the 3rd AGM of the Bateau Bay Men’s Shed.
It gives me great pleasure to present the Shed Presidents Report to you this morning after what has been a very productive year.
I would like to begin my report by voicing publically my thanks to Colleen Cooper, Kevin Armstrong and Nigel Stretton for the untold work they have done behind the scenes during this past year.
Colleen is our link with ADSSI and without their magnificent support this Shed would be a fraction of what we have today. It has not only been the monetary support that Colleen has been instrumental in obtaining for us, and that is what most members see around them, but it has been the advice and personal support that I have found to be very important.
Kevin as Secretary has constantly trawled the Internet seeking out grant options and then putting his wordsmith skills to good use in completing the applications. He has also been our ‘go to man’ when technical matters of Shed governance have been sought.
As Treasurer Nigel has balanced our accounts every month and has ensured our bills are paid on time. Despite the help he gets each morning when he opens the “piggy bank” he has kept his composure and has seen us end the year with a healthy credit balance.
A number of milestones have been reached this year that need mentioning. Our new Constitution was approved by the members so that we are no longer operating under the generic Fair Trading’s Model Rules but under our own ratified constitution.
Our application to establish a Community Garden was successful and an interim committee has been established which has arranged for the opening of a bank account. I wish to make a special mention to Cec Baker and his team for their work on the side garden and acknowledge the difference this area has made to the appearance of our Shed.
The undercover working area of the Shed has been expanded considerably with the erection of the awnings and special thanks must go to ADSSI for funding this project.
Our attendances for the past 12 months from July 2010 to June 2011 have been very pleasing with an average attendance on Tuesday’s being 28, Wednesday’s 11 and Thursday’s 22 which gives us an average attendance of 20 men a day on each of the 3 days a week we open. For the past 2 months, July and August Tuesday attendances are averaging 29, Wednesday 15 and Thursday 21.
The Shed continues to reach out into the community and this year new links have been forged with Fairhaven Services, Hopetown Special School, The Early Onset Dementia Group, Erina Before and After School Care, Kia Lodge and Reynolds Court Retirement Villages, The Central Coast Community Chest (Ginger Megs Billy Cart Derby and credit here goes to Mark Segal for his efforts) and Ourimbah University and their mobile Dental Van upgrade. The Bateau Bay Men’s Shed perpetual trophy for Achievement in Technology was awarded to a student of Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College, Tumbi Umbi Campus for the first time during their Presentation Ceremony last December. We continue to have a close relationship with the occupants of the Tuggerah Lakes Community Centre and are proud to work with and have close contacts with Vision Australia.
This year we expanded onto the international front when 13 Samaritans Child Christmas Boxes were packed with donations from the members. Special mention is made here to Norm Walpole for his management of this project and for the personal interest he took in it. Thanks to all the men who made donations in kind and monetary to this project.
I wish to acknowledge the support we have received from Chris Spence, the member for The Entrance. Following his visit to the Shed he was instrumental in supporting our application through the Community Builders Program for the establishment of the community garden and for his invitation to us to visit him in State Parliament. We look forward to his continued involvement in this Shed.
Wyong Council has been an active supporter of the Shed and visits from the Mayor and a number of Counsellors has lead to a greater appreciation of the benefits of this Shed in the community. As a result we have gained support for our Community garden and have received funding to make repairs to their car park.
Our Seniors Week activities were again successful and saw a number of visitors attend activities over the 2 days.
During the year we saw the passing of Col Kennedy who was present the day we first walked into this Shed and was one of our founding members, and Ernie Cooper our BBQ Chief , both men will be missed.
As one of the senior Men’s Sheds on the Central Coast I believe we have an important role to play in the continuing development of Men’s Sheds not only on the Coast but in the wider community. The expertise generated at Bateau Bay has been recognised and we continue to be approached by Shedders both in NSW and in other states asking for information on how to set up a Shed. That such widespread recognition has spread as quickly as it has is largely due to the relationships that have developed in our group and are seen by visitors and onlookers as something to which they strive to reach.
A number of major projects are planned for the coming year, The Community Garden has already been mentioned, changes to WorkCover legislation in February 2012 loom as a major issue for the manner in which all Sheds operate and ventilation in the building in readiness for the summer is a target. We also need to seriously consider succession planning so that any changes in the management structure if they occur will happen with the minimum of disruption to Shed operations.
I conclusion I would like to publically thank the Shed Committee for their support during the year. I have already singled out Colleen, Kevin and Nigel but I also want to thank the other members of the Bateau Bay Men’s Shed Committee, Graham Craike, David Bolton, Mark Segal, Barry French,Bruce Tubnor and Mike Gavaghan for their continuing support and initiative this year. Bateau Bay Men’s Shed is running like a well-oiled machine and it is due largely to the members of the Committee and all our members for this because every one brings something different to our Shed with their ideas, skills, companionship and energy all adding to the enjoyment of being members of this Shed.
I wish the incoming Executive and Management Committee a successful year ahead confident in the knowledge that the Sheds culture has been firmly established and that it’s positive influence in the community will continue to be felt.
John Sharples
President
Bateau Bay Men’s Shed
22 September 2011
