Forster Tuncurry Men’s Shed

NEWSLETTER No.19

January 2019

Christmas and New Year are now just a memory, and the committee hope you all had a wonderful festive season. Our party was a huge success and thanks to Richard B-M and all his helpers for such a wonderful spread. The new committee may have some changes planned for next Christmas, please watch this space. 

Don't forget that the AGM is scheduled for 11:00 am Tuesday February 26^th, . All members are encouraged to attend and vote on your future. Please read details about the AGM, in the "News" section of the website, just search for the tab marked News. Nomination forms will soon be available for those who would like to be nominated for the committee or the executive positions.

Invoices have now been emailed to those who have provided e-mail addresses, and sent through Australia Post to all the others...for you annual membership fees of $30.00. All members have one months grace to pay the invoice. Failure to pay your membership dues will render that member unfinancial at the end of January. Payment can be made by internet banking or in the office (with cash or card). You will all have a months grace for payment, more than enough time to ensure you will be able to vote at the February AGM as a Financial member. Thanks for your understanding...

Your newsletter will now be delivered electronically through this website. It seems that you have found it, congratulations. Subsequent issues will appear here just before the start of the month. This is to advise members as to what is coming up....enjoy. A few copies will be printed out for the tea room table. You can now print each article out at home, thanks to Shaun...just look for the "print' button...

http://www.forstertuncurrymensshed.org/

All members are required to fill out a new information sheet to update our Members Register, please see Secretary Rick Coleman.

Our new Facebook page is receiving plenty of likes and comments. The new address is:

https://www.facebook.com/Forster-Tuncurry-MENS-SHED.../

We now have listings for sale through Facebook on four (4) local Buy, Swap and Sell sites. We are hoping to give the wider public an insight into what we make and have for sale. Those sites are:

• Buy Swap and Sell Taree 2430 and surroundings
• Buy/Swap/Sell Taree, Cundletown, Wingham, Forster HOME AND GARDEN GOODS
• Forster Tuncurry Trading Post & Community Page 2428
• Buy/Swap/Sell Forster/Tuncurry

Committee Meetings

The committee will hold it’s next meeting on Wednesday 16th January at 11:00 am....this will be the last  meeting of the current committee, before our AGM on 26th Feb. The committee would like all shed members to know they are welcome to sit in and listen to what’s going on.

Guidelines of the shed ....(among others these are a few reminders for all of us)
 

1. Should  any purchase need to be made for a shed project, permission must be obtained from 2 committee members where possible, including the Treasurer. If the item is purchased without authorisation, the member doing so may bear the cost of that item. Receipts must be produced to obtain reimbursement.
2. Donations of timber or tools must be authorised by a Shed Coordinator or member of the project committee. All electrical tools must be inspected, tested and tagged by a member of the safety committee prior to use.
3. All members are expected to clean their workspace and replace any tools or equipment prior to leaving the shed. The shed is expected to be kept in a clean and respectable condition always , when possible.
4. There is an expectation that at least 20% of time at the shed be spent on projects, cleaning, training or other tasks as directed by a shed coordinator or committee members.

The following is an excerpt delevered at an AMSA Conference in Newcastle a couple of years back. It relates to perecived threats to Men's Sheds

Threat 5

Service focussed 
 
Men's Sheds are not a service for men but activities organised by men. Mostly Men's Sheds do not provide services to men – they are merely men friendly spaces that men choose to go to. 
 
The focus should be on the men who come and allow them to decide their destiny (and activities) within the Shed.

What's coming up...

• Wednesday...16th January - the last Committee meeting for this current committee...all welcome
• 26th February - the first Committee meeting for the new committee...straight after the AGM...all welcome
• 26th February - AGM...make your vote heard in deciding how the shed is run for the year ahead
• It seems that the current committee is supportive of the idea of another Social Day during 2019, like we had in Lone Pine Park, Tuncurry to mark our "Celebration of Independance Day" last year. If you support this idea, talk to those being nominated for the new committee.
• Can you add some commonsense input to the Work Place Safety Committee, why not volunteer to be a part of that team?
• Do you want any new ideas or procedures, or activities to be put in place this coming year? If so - consider asking someone to nominate you for the committee, or alternatively have a word in the ear of one or more of those members nominated for consideration at this year's AGM, to speak up on your behalf. It's your shed and it should be run the way you -  the members, want it run.
• Our Christmas Party held at the shed is a lot of work for those who are given the task of organising it. Will Christmas 2019 see a repeat at the shed premises, or will it be held at another venue, where that venue will be asked to cater on our behalf?
• Have a think on this (we know it's a while away yet)...but it's a shed decision that the members should have some input into. At the end of the day, it's probably going to be a decision by the new committee and a subject of much discussion around the table as we move forward into the new year. Make your thoughts known to the new committee after the AGM.