LOCAL LIFE
MAKE A DIFFERENCE : Blacktown Women ’ s Shed
by Lorna Gordon
If you are a hands on kind of woman but could do with learning a bit more about how to use tools safely , or if you have never used a power tool and want to , then get yourself to the Women ’ s Shed in Quakers Hill .
Run by Blacktown Area Community Centres Inc with assistance from Blacktown City Council , the Women ’ s Shed welcomes all women over the age of 16 to meet up , make friends and learn something new . The shed opened in September last year and has already helped women produce their own projects with their Shed Sisters program , from trays and cutting boards to Christmas decorations .
Jaime Mack , a programs manager for Blacktown Area Community Centres is responsible for the Shed Sisters and is keen to get women of all ages to join in . “ You don ’ t need any skills at all , basic skills will be taught , you just need to be ready to learn ! It has been shown that once children are in high school and beyond , the school connections women have built up and relied on can gradually taper off , and the same can apply for women who are single in their 40 ’ s and 50 ’ s . We want to stop women experiencing isolation and help them build connections , friendships and give them support ,” Jaime said .
The program is run by female volunteers and aims to help women learn the basics of using power tools
safely so they can make a small project to start with , like a chopping board , allowing them to gain confidence .
Once they have learned the basics , they can make more complicated projects such as trays , wooden boxes or signs . There are no membership fees or weekly payments to join the Shed Sisters ; the only thing you might need to pay for is additional wood to make more items .
Bunnings is supporting the Women ’ s Shed by providing wood off cuts , and Jaimie told me they will be going to the shed twice a term for workshops , where you can work on a separate smaller project for the evening .
The Shed Sisters started on 21 February for this year and is currently looking for women who know how to handle woodworking tools safely to share their knowledge and volunteer a few hours a week .
All women are welcome to go along and enjoy a safe space to relax and meet new people , the only thing you have to do is make sure you are wearing closed toe shoes for safety reasons .
If you want to volunteer or go along to learn woodworking , you can find the Women ’ s Shed at Quakers Hill Park , off Walker Street in Quakers Hill . The Shed Sisters Program runs from 5pm – 8pm every Wednesday during term time .
For more information you can contact BACC on 02 9626 5312 or email info @ bacc . org . au .
You don ’ t need previous experience to join Shed Sisters , just a willingness to learn .
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LOAN MAXIMUM IS $ 2000 FOR ESSENTIALS & FOR VEHICLES . ONLY CERTAIN ITEMS APPLY . ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA MUST BE MET .
BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 36 // MARCH 2024 13