The Whyalla Mens Shed (WMS) is an incorporated, not for profit, registered charity, established in 2013 and managed exclusively by volunteers. The WMS provides a setting where older men can engage in productive activities in areas of woodwork, metalwork and gardening that benefit both themselves and the local community. The shed has about 50 members (often called ‘shedders’) with about 25 attending on a regular basis. The median age of members is 67 years and the mean, 70 years; the youngest member is 30 years old and the oldest 91 years. The shed offers a smoke-, drug- and alcohol-free, multipurpose space with a range of facilities: workshops, tools and equipment suitable for small wood and metal construction, repair or restoration projects; a common room for meetings and socialisation; a games room equipped with pool table, television, board and other games; a small library containing fiction, non-fiction as well as hobby and craft books and magazines; a networked computer suite with Internet access used for computer refurbishing and computer tuition; a small office area and display foyer where shed-made products are available for sale; a kitchen for preparing light meals and refreshments, and an outdoor recreation and garden area.
