Craftsmen, rejoice, for your time has come!
Agassiz-Harrison Community Services (AHCS) announced they are offering assistance to apply for grants for the creation of local men’s sheds.
Though the concept originated in Australia, men’s sheds have been in Canada since 2011, according to the Canadian Men’s Sheds Association, the first being built in Winnipeg. The sheds are work spaces for men to gather and spend time together working on personal projects, repairs, cooking, music and other meaningful projects.
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The Men’s Shed Association of British Columbia already has at least a dozen locations around the province.
“What we’re looking for, in the words of (Coquitlam Men’s Shed organizer) Mike Jennings, is two ingredients – a few good men and a space,” said AHCS program coordinator Fiona Delcourt. “We’re waiting for some guys to come forward. “
Delcourt said this program is for men of all ages. The projects conducted at the sheds is largely up to the men who run it, and the projects can be collaborative or individual. She said not only does it allow men to have a place to gather with their fellow men but it offers a way to contribute to the community as a group.
“Some men’s sheds will do a lot of community projects like flower boxes,” she added. “Some may do community outreach.”
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Applications opened in July and completed applications for start-up grants are reviewed on an ongoing basis within two months of being submitted. Start-up grants can be as much as $1,000.
“It’s a really good, really positive project for some people locally to pursue here, and we’re here to support that,” Delcourt said.
For more information on local men’s shed opportunities and grant applications, contact AHCS at 604-796-2585. Learn more about men’s sheds at bcmensshed.ca.