The Story Of How An Old Man In A Care Home, With Tools Abandoned Under His Bed, Inspired A Rescue Plan And A Men's Shed Was Launched (1989)

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There's A Place For Us
One man's personal philosophy that people with good ideas and those with resources can achieve anything has given a small Victorian town an unusual asset for its ageing men. By Richard Snashall
Published in Community Link - 1998
Dick McGowan is well known in the northern Victorian town of Tongala for putting his ideas on the table. And when it came to building a unique aged-care facility for men - in the form of a backyard shed — the former Tongala Primary School vice-principal's idea not only attracted the resources, but was appreciated to the extent that today it bears his name.

“All Australian boys need a shed,” John Williamson sings in “The Shed”. While that lyric may seem quaint and nostalgic to city people. McGowan knew that in the bush this was a serious sentiment.

When Jim Sargeant moved into the Tongala and District Bush Nursing Memorial Aged Care Complex in I996, he brought his tool box. He was soon disappointed to ﬁnd that his spanners and screwdrivers weren't seeing the light of day. This triggered McGowan, a member of the complex's committee, to consider the lack of resources for older men in care. “Men go from their roles of being the breadwinners and a central part of the community into aged-care, which is very female oriented." he says. “That’s not a criticism. it‘s just the way it is."

McGowan was also acutely aware of the high rates of male suicide in regional Australia. which he feels relate to the pressures of life on the land.

“Many people don't realise the extraordinary losses farmers can suffer." in most aged-care residences. things work — so there’s very little offering for men who like to tinker. “Jim ended up giving his tool box to his son.” McGowan recalls. “As much as he loved it. he had no need for it." At the next committee meeting, McGowan suggested the idea of a “shed" for older men - a place set up for blokes to build. fix, socialise. snooze. and proudly us leave tools and unﬁnished projects on the bench. Also aware that older men's needs were not being served by traditional aged-care was director of nursing at the complex. lean Courtney, who loved McGowan's proposal. “On the surface, it’s a shed," Courtney explains. "but it represents a move to a more sophisticated philosophy in care."

After researching every funding possibility through state and federal agencies, a submission was accepted by the Commonwealth Department of Veteran‘s Affairs.

“There were additional donations from the local Masonic community and individuals.” McGowan says. “All in all. it cost around $25,000”.

So where was the shed to be located? Where else but “out the back” of the complex. where there was enough space to erect the earmarked 40 by 25-foot kit shed. McGowan is quick to point out that elderly gentlemen don’t work in metric!

While funding paid for the raw materials to build the shed, wherever possible the construction and ﬁtting out was performed by volunteers. With a town population of 1000, the concept excited and involved just about everyone. 'We had 76year-old members of the local Uniting Church painting beams. while residents in wheelchairs from the complex assisted with the lining and decorating." McGowan says.

Numerous tradespeople volunteered their services, including a plumber whom McGowan had taught. “Everything about it was voluntary and local." he says.

Also remarkable was the commercial generosity ~ the shed now houses about $7000 worth of donated equipment. Chatting with regulars at nearby Moama Bowling Club. where he plays the keyboards. McGowan was soon offered air tools, lathes and compressors by Norm and Carole Healey. owners of Bendigo-based Peerless Products. one of Australia's biggest industry equipment manufacturers. They wanted nothing in return. except for the men to occasionally pop on a Peerless cap while "at work”.

While there are purposefully few luxuries, the men have allowed themselves a small pleasure in their transportation to and from the shed - a Rolls Royce! The six-seater golf buggy was built in the style of the famous car for a Queensland resort and wound up in southern NSW before being bought by the complex. Being true gentlemen, the Roller is also used to take "the girls" from the complex around the gardens.

The shed is managed by a subcommittee, the Company of Men. made up of residents and the wider community. But it is by no means a closed shop — the shed is open to any of the male species wanting to get among the sawdust.

All of the men who run programs at the shed do so on a voluntary basis. Even complex maintenance ofﬁcer, Craig McGill, is a volunteer of sorts. Though a part-time employee, Courtney says “he always goes way beyond the call of duty". Due to the equipment. volunteer education and training is highly important, and much of it is handled by McGill.

A number of the shed's regulars were accomplished tradesmen in their working lives and are now reviving skills in everything from clock restoration to woodwork. Some are even taking orders. “There was a rocking-horse in the complex foyer." Courtney says. "It disappeared to the shed where the men are using it as a prototype to build more!”

The Dick McGowan Men's Shed was ofﬁcially opened on July 26 this year, and every volunteer who worked on the project was presented with a certiﬁcate of appreciation, while donors received brass plaques.

Despite this extraordinary achievement, Tongala’s volunteers aren't resting on their laurels. Work has already begun on an activities centre at the complex.

“And eventually we'll put in a hydrotherapy pool." McGowan adds, sticking ﬁrmly to his philosophy that good ideas can always come to fruition.

*BUILDING A SHED*
• Know exactly what you want to achieve - have a vision.

• Research all possibilities of funding. and contact all state and federal departments.

• Prepare a submission. considering every angle relevant to your community.

• Establish good links with your funding source.

• Draw on the local community for volunteers to assist in the building and running of the shed.

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