North Epping Men's Shed

North Epping Men’s Shed gets on with the job – several jobs, really

Now that the Shed has been handed over to the committee and insurance arrangements have been made, a start has been made on the many jobs required to get the Shed in working order.

These jobs include clearing equipment temporarily stored in the amenities area while the floor of the main area was being sealed, moving large amounts of donated equipment into the Shed, including a donated dust extraction system and benches, and constructing steps and ramps to the doors on the western side.

Jobs still to be done also include erecting the stairs to the mezzanine level, installing sound insulation for the noisy room, and placing concrete slabs to complete the retaining wall around the Shed. Photos show some of the work in progress.

Members will be invited to participate in working Bees for these and other jobs over the next few months.

North Epping Men’s Shed has first member’s function

The North Epping Men’s Shed held its first function for members and guests on Saturday, September 2. The event was a BBQ with a tasty menu including steak sandwiches, sausages and cakes.

Special guests from Bendigo Bank in attendance included: Rob Phillips, Janet McGarry, Ian Bittner and Craig Gallagher. Rob Phillips announced a further grant in addition to the substantial funding the Bank has already given the Shed which received applause from a grateful audience.

Also there on the big day were Dominic Perrottet MLA whose support was integral to the project’s development, and from AMSA (the Australian Men’s Shed Association) Beth Gow and Noel Frappel.

Acknowledgement was given to the North Epping Bowling & Community Club for its help during construction that included supply of electricity and availability of plumbing facilities.

Members and guests then enjoyed presentations from NEMS President Brian Bailey and management committee members Michael Du Plessis and Shaun Garvey outlining where we came from and what comes next, followed by a walkaround and an invitation for all members to share their skills with others in the membership. This was followed by a BBQ which was enjoyed by the more than sixty people there.

North Epping Men’s Shed presented with a lifesaver!

This week the Eastwood Gladesville Liquor Accord, of which the Epping Club is a member, presented an Automated External Defibrillator via Heart of the Nation to the North Epping Men’s Shed. (Photo from left: Owen Sherrard (project manager), David Halliday (Committee Member), Peter Youll (Committee Member), Brian Baliey (President of NEMS), Shaun Garvey (Sec of NEMS), Stephen Anson Presdent of Eastwood Gladesville Liquor Accord.)

An Automated External Defibrillator is a great lifesaving piece of equipment! It’s a portable machine designed to restore a normal, functioning heartbeat in people who have experienced a cardiac arrest. With over 28,000 people in Australia having heart failure every year having an AED available in as many sites as possible is crucial, and now the North Epping Men’s Shed is one of those sites. The North Epping Men’s Shed is grateful to the Eastwood Gladesville Liquor Accord for its gift.

North Epping Men’s Shed ready to raise the roof

Update: The framework and walls of the North Epping Men’s Shed have now been completed and the next stage of construction will be to raise the roof into position. Work will be carried out this week and completion of the roofing will be completed over the next few days, weather permitting.

Construction underway at North Epping Men’s Shed

Building activity has commenced at the North Epping Men’s Shed and the framing is already in position. The walls and roofing work as well as the interior construction will be completed over the next three weeks by the builders, Outwest Sheds. Once the cladding is installed, holes will be cut out for the windows, roller door and access doors.

Thereafter, work on the Shed’s electrical, plumbing, acoustic panelling and lighting requirements will begin. Retaining walls, ramps and pathways will also be needed, so the final completion date won’t be known just yet.

The North Epping Men’s Shed committee will publish regular updates on developments with this vital community facility as they happen.

NEMS briefs Member for Bennelong

The North Epping Men’s Shed held its regular monthly coffee morning at the North Epping shops on Wednesday, February 2. Our special guests at the event were Jerome Laxale MP, the Member for Bennelong, and Michael Butterworth his Senior Electoral Officer.

They heard about the progress being made on the construction of the new Men’s Shed, including work on the perimeter retaining wall (see photo) now underway. Also under discussion was the community battery now planned for North Epping, and the welcome grant for first aid training recently received from the Commonwealth Department of Health.

$50K grant for North Epping Men’s Shed

The North Epping Men’s Shed is delighted to announce that it has been successful in its application for a grant under the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership 2022 Program. A CBP grant of $50,820 has been awarded to the Shed by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice.

Not-for-profit community organisations like the Men’s Shed may apply for these grants which allow the government to invest in infrastructure projects that will deliver social, environmental and recreational outcomes. The aim is to promote community participation, inclusion and cohesion – all very much in accordance with the Men’s Shed objectives.

The grant will make a valuable contribution to completing the fitout of the new Shed which will, among other features, optimise opportunities for solar power at the site. Construction is due to commence in February/March 2023.

Updates for members at Men’s Shed AGM

The members and guests attending the Annual General Meeting of the North Epping Men’s Shed held Thursday, 1 December at the North Epping Bowling Club heard the end-of-year updates from President Brian Bailey (photo).

The President thanked members of the NEMS management team for their work, and with special thanks to locals Matt Pearce of Pearce & Sons Excavations, Owen Sherrard for his engineering expertise, and concreter Tony De Gioia. He expressed particular gratitude to the Epping Community branch of Bendigo Bank, saying “We wouldn’t be here without them”.

Brian said the Shed has made significant progress during the year. Outwest Sheds and Garages has been contracted to construct the shed. The expected er****on date is Feb/March 2023. The final remaining hurdle to starting construction is receiving Council approval for the stormwater drainage on the site. This is expected to come very soon.

The eight members of the management committee were re-elected for another twelve months and the membership fee has been slightly increased to $55 as the Shed is now registered for GST. More updates will be discussed at the NEMS coffee mornings held at the North Epping shops on the first Wednesday of each month.

North Epping Men’s Shed coffee mornings

Members of the North Epping Men’s Shed enjoyed their latest monthly Coffee Meeting at the North Epping Shops on Wednesday, November 2.

Shed vice-president Mike Du Plessis updated the group with details of construction developments during the month and said final details of site drainage had been agreed with Crown Lands and the North Epping Bowling Club.

At 10am on the first Wednesday of every month the group gets together for an update on progress with building the Shed and just to have a chat about things in general.

The next NEMS Coffee Meeting will be at 10am on Wednesday, 6 December. Everyone who’s interested is welcome to attend and find out more about our goals and our plans for the future.

The Shed's website is: nems.org.au, where more information about our Men's Shed is posted.

NEMS Members are invited to attend

Prior to the election, Labor promised to install a community battery in North Epping if elected.
As there has been much community interest in this project, Bennelong Climate Action Group and Voices of Bennelong have invited Jerome Laxale MP to provide an update on the progress of the promised battery.
If it goes ahead, this exciting proposal will not only reduce emissions in our community but save money on local electricity bills. Join us at the North Epping Bowling & Community Club Wednesday 2nd November to find out more!!
Have other ideas about how to reduce emissions in our community? Talk to us afterwards. Get involved. We would love to hear from you.

North Epping Men’s Shed coffee mornings

Members of the North Epping Men’s Shed have started enjoying monthly Coffee Meetings at the North Epping Shops.

At 10am on the first Wednesday of every month the group gets together for an update on progress with building the Shed and just to have a chat about things in general.

The next NEMS Coffee Meeting will be at 10am on Wednesday, 2 November. Everyone who’s interested is welcome to attend and find out more about our goals and our plans for the future.

North Epping Men’s Shed in detail

Here are some details of the new North Epping Men’s Shed, to be constructed at 130 Boundary Road by Outwest Sheds. Its dimensions are 33 metres long x 11.1 metres wide, erected on the concrete slab that’s already in place.

The design features six bays, with an interior mezzanine covering two bays. First, the walls and roof will be erected, then the interior fitout will take place. This will include the plumbing, electrical work, acoustic insulation, a kitchen, and toilets. Total cost will be approximately $240,000.

Er****on is expected February/March 2023, as always depending on the weather during construction. We’ll keep you updated with regular posts on this page.

Contract signed for construction of North Epping Men’s Shed

A contract for the construction of the new North Epping Men’s Shed has now been signed with specialist builder Outwest Sheds and completion of the new premises at 130 Boundary Road is expected early in 2023.

“It’s taken longer than we expected” said NEMS President Brian Bailey, “but after numerous delays caused by covid and the need to comply with a multitude of council and state regulations we’re finally ready to start construction on what will be a community workshop for the people of this area.”

He said members of the NEMS management committee had held discussions with several potential builders and inspected a number of existing men’s sheds before appointing Outwest Sheds to do the work.

“Outwest has over a decade’s experience in their field and were able to show us many good examples of their build quality and attention to detail. We’re confident of getting the results we want and look forward to working with them as construction progresses.”

Honorary Auditor Wanted

The North Epping Men’s Shed has received grant funding for the construction of our new building at 130 Boundary Road, North Epping. These funds must be accounted for to the NSW Government and other entities who have been supportive of our endeavours.

If you are a qualified accountant, possibly retired, who would be able to provide a service on an honorary basis, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact our Treasurer, Jong Byun and let him know of your interest.

Contact Jong Byun: 0419 855 588, email [email protected]

North Epping Men’s Shed sizzles from above

The North Epping Men’s Shed hosted a sausage sizzle at the Bowlo on Sunday, June 26, to update members on progress towards building the Shed since our last gathering and of course just to socialise.
President Brian Bailey related the ongoing saga of getting final approvals for our proposed drainage and sound insulation, holding aloft a new 14-page document required by Crown Lands for approval of stormwater handling that’s one of the last hurdles. Also pending is the final quote from Outwest Sheds which is expected next week.
A highlight (literally) of the gathering was for everyone to step onto the slab and pose for an aerial photograph taken by a drone that was made available through the connections of local artist and gallery owner Melony Smirniotis. We hope to see construction beginning on the site in August/September, with the starting date depending on the current material and labour shortages now besetting the industry.

Premier visits North Epping Men’s Shed

The NSW Premier who is also our local member for Epping came to the site of the North Epping Men’s Shed (NEMS) on Friday, June 10, to see the concrete slab in place and hear about our plans for completing the building later in the year.

The NSW government has given support to the North Epping Men’s Shed in the form of two grants: $30,000 from the government’s Community Building Partnership (CBP) awards program, and $297,120 from the Men’s Shed Grants program. These grants have enabled us to complete the slab and to prepare a budget for the construction costs associated with the building itself on the site at 130 Boundary Road.

Premier Perrottet heard how NEMS expects to sign the construction contract in the very near future once the final details of the acoustic insulation have been approved, with building commencing in July/August and completion by the end of the year.

A scar tree discovered in North Epping

During the Smoking Ceremony he conducted for the North Epping Men’s Shed on May 15, Uncle Laurie Bimson told guests that a Scribbly Gum on the site was a scar tree and showed them where the bark had been cut away.

A scar tree, also known as a canoe tree, is the trunk of a eucalyptus tree which has had bark removed by Indigenous Australians for various purposes including the creation of bark canoes, shelters, weapons such as shields, or containers (coolamons). Most scar trees are over 200 years old.

Uncle Laurie explained that removal of the bark leaves a ‘scar’ which the tree itself heals over time. The photo shows him inspecting the scar on the tree which is he estimated would have been made around 120 to 130 years ago.

Scar trees tell us where Aboriginal people used to live, and also provide indigenous people today with an important link to their culture and their past. In NSW the locations of scar trees are recorded and the trees are protected as Aboriginal heritage sites by the provisions of the National Parks and Wildlife Act.

NEMS website: nems.org.au
Membership enquiries: Shaun Garvey – [email protected]

Smoking Ceremony celebrates North Epping’s indigenous heritage

A Smoking Ceremony that celebrated our area’s Indigenous heritage and marked the commencement of construction at the North Epping Men’s Shed was held on Sunday, May 15. The venue was the site of the new Men’s Shed at 130 Boundary Road.

The Ceremony was conducted by Uncle Laurie Bimson, a Guringai man and a descendant of Bungaree, leader of the Guringai tribe at the time of European arrival. Uncle Laurie delivered a Welcome To Country, then took the bark dish with the smoke around the perimeter of the site before inviting guests to personally experience the smoke in the traditional act of purification.

Smoking ceremonies are regarded by Indigenous Australians as an important part of connecting people to the country and keeping them safe from the dangerous powers of the spiritual beings residing in the land and waters.

After the ceremony, Men’s Shed president Brian Bailey told the guests that construction of the new Shed would begin soon and completion is expected by the end of this year.

NEMS website: nems.org.au
Membership enquiries: Shaun Garvey – [email protected]

Men’s Shed Smoking Ceremony this Sunday May 15, 3pm

You’re invited to join us at the site of the new North Epping Men’s Shed for a Smoking Ceremony to celebrate our area’s Indigenous heritage and to mark the commencement of the Men’s Shed construction.

The Ceremony will be conducted by Uncle Laurie Bimson, a Guringai man and a descendant of Bungaree, leader of the Guringai tribe at the time of European arrival.

Smoking ceremonies have been performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for thousands of years to cleanse people and places of bad spirits. They are regarded as an important part of connecting people to the country and keeping them safe from the dangerous powers of the spiritual beings residing in the land and waters.

The North Epping Men’s Shed Smoking Ceremony will be held this Sunday, May 15 at 130 Boundary Road, North Epping. (Nextdoor to the North Epping Bowling & Community Club.) It will commence at 3pm.

NEMS website: nems.org.au
Membership enquiries: Shaun Garvey – [email protected]

Men’s Shed Smoking Ceremony Sunday May 15

You’re invited to join us at the site of the new North Epping Men’s Shed for a Smoking Ceremony to celebrate our area’s Indigenous heritage and to mark the commencement of the Men’s Shed construction.

The Ceremony will be conducted by Uncle Laurie Bimson, a Guringai man and a descendant of Bungaree, leader of the Guringai tribe at the time of European arrival.

Smoking ceremonies have been performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for thousands of years to cleanse people and places of bad spirits. They are regarded as an important part of connecting people to the country and keeping them safe from the dangerous powers of the spiritual beings residing in the land and waters.

The North Epping Men’s Shed Smoking Ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 15 at 130 Boundary Road, North Epping. (Nextdoor to the North Epping Bowling & Community Club.) It will commence at 3pm.

NEMS website: nems.org.au
Membership enquiries: Shaun Garvey – [email protected]

A big day for the North Epping Men’s Shed

This was the day the concrete was poured for the slab of the Men’s Shed at 130 Boundary Road, North Epping. As the aerial view taken before the concrete was poured shows, this is a big site, with the floor area measuring about 11 metres x 33 metres.

With the guidance and many hours of hard work by local experts – Matt Pearce of Pearce Excavation & Drainage and Tony De Gioia, licensed concreter, the site has been cleared, excavated, drainage put in, formwork built and nearly 90m3 of concrete poured.

This major step forward has been made possible by the grant of $60,000 from the Epping community branch of Bendigo Bank, supported by $30,000 provided by the NSW government under the Community Building Partnership scheme.

The slab will need to be kept watered for the next week or so, and there’s still a lot of work to be done before the Shed is ready to open, but we’re expecting construction to start around July/August and hope to celebrate Christmas in our new building.

Plumbing’s in place for North Epping Men’s Shed

This photo shows David Halliday and Brian Bailey from the Shed’s management committee checking out the plumbing at the site of the new structure at 130 Boundary Road.

Our thanks to Owen Sherrard who applied his engineering expertise to design and organise the plumbing for the shed.

A groundbreaking event for the North Epping Men’s Shed

The ground has been broken for the foundations of the new North Epping Men’s Shed!

On Friday 21 January, Matt Pearce and his crew began the excavation for the concrete slab of the building. By the end of the day the only thing unlevelled was a large rock that was excavated from the site.

Next step will be building the formwork and the pouring of the concrete for the slab.

A new fence for The North Epping Men's Shed site

Temporary fencing is now in place around the site at 130 Boundary Road, ready for the start of construction of the new North Epping Men’s Shed that will begin shortly. The fence was erected by members of the Shed committee on Saturday.

Next steps will be the site excavation, formwork and pouring of the concrete slab for the foundation of the structure. Final details of plumbing and stormwater are now being completed preparatory to work getting under way.

A very merry Christmas for North Epping Men’s Shed

The office of NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, who is also the member for Epping, has just announced that the North Epping Men’s Shed will receive a grant of $297,120 under the Government’s Stimulus Men's Shed Shovel-Ready Infrastructure Projects grant program.

The funds will be used to complete our Shed, including construction, all electricals, plumbing and acoustic insulation as detailed in the Development Application recently approved by the Hornsby Shire Council.

Through a partnership between the Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA) and the NSW Government, this funding has been provided as part of the government’s Stimulus Package to support local communities to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among other requirements, to qualify for these grants, Men’s Sheds had to be members of AMSA, be sited on Crown Land, have all Local Government permits, DA, Construction Certificates, approvals, plans and specifications ready for works to begin, and have a Men’s Shed project deemed ‘shovel ready’. The North Epping Men’s Shed qualified on all counts.

The concrete slab for the Shed is now scheduled to start excavation on 17 January 2022, and from there the North Epping Men’s Shed will grow to completion. Because of construction pipeline delays we expect our Shed to be built in August/September 2022 with final fit out taking the rest of 2022.

There are so many people to thank for getting our project to this stage that we won’t try to list them here, but we can now look forward to having a new and vital facility at 130 Boundary Road that will become an important part of our community’s future.

Men’s Shed Christmas Sausage Sizzle

The North Epping Men’s Shed held its inaugural Christmas Sausage Sizzle on the veranda of the North Epping Bowling & Community Club on Sunday, December 5.

Club President Brian Bailey updated guests with the latest news on the Shed’s progress in completing the final design of the structure and about the funding activities now underway.

Members could view the scale model of the Shed while they enjoyed tasty barbecued sausages on hot dog buns and lots of conversation.

The next planned members’ gathering will be to mark the pouring of the concrete slab for the building in early 2022.

$30,000 NSW Government grant for North Epping Men’s Shed

The North Epping Men’s Shed is pleased to report that it has just received a grant of $30,000 from the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership (CBP) awards program.

The CBP program provides funding for infrastructure projects that deliver positive social, environmental, and recreational outcomes while promoting community participation, inclusion and cohesion.

The North Epping Men’s Shed applied for the grant to fund a portion of the construction costs for the building that will house the Shed’s activities.

The Development Application for the project at 130 Boundary Road, North Epping has been approved by Hornsby Shire Council and final details of compliance are now being completed.

Men’s Shed DA approved. Now it’s “all systems GO” for construction

Hornsby Shire Council has given us the approval for our development application at 130 Boundary Road. This means we can now proceed with the final designs and detailed quotes for the Shed’s construction.

A small gathering was held at the site on Saturday, 16.10 and we were delighted to have Hornsby Shire C Ward councillor and mayoral candidate Emma Heyde there to share our celebration. Emma congratulated the Men’s Shed on having the DA approved and we thanked her for her help in navigating the Council’s requirements.

The next step will be to obtain the Construction Certificate and finalise engineering and construction details. Especially important is to ensure our compliance with the Council’s tree protection and sedimentation requirements.

We will keep our community updated with developments. If you’re interested in membership, please send your contact details to [email protected] or visit our website at www.NEMS.org.au .

[Our photo shows the October 16 onsite gathering – in the centre are Councillor Emma Heyde (left) and Shed President Brian Bailey]

Work to start on North Epping Men's Shed

Expressions of Interest are now being sought from builders to lay the concrete slab for the new North Epping Men's Shed at 130 Boundary Road.

The slab's dimensions are 33m x 11.1m with a total floor area of 366 square meters.

Interested parties have been invited to contact the Men's Shed via the NEMS email: [email protected]. Once we are aware of their interest we will provide a more detailed spec for them to quote on.

The NEMS Management Committee will have detailed discussions with those shortlisted before contracting the work.

This is Men's Shed Week!

This is Men's Shed Week (30 August – 5 September) and we're celebrating the fundamentals of Men's Sheds: connection, community and camaraderie.

What better excuse to ring and reconnect with a couple of blokes who are probably wishing this extended extended lockdown was over and history.

Now, more than ever, we need to stay connected with our mates. Even if it's not in the traditional way at the shed. So, this year we are celebrating connection, community and camaraderie – all things that we see in spades in Men’s Shed communities.

Whilst many of us aren't at the shed this year, we couldn't let the year go by without acknowledging and celebrating thousands of Shedders around our great country. All of whom contribute to bringing 1200 vibrant and thriving community hubs to life.

Men's Shed Week is our opportunity to showcase our Australian-made icon to the world. And to celebrate what our great movement brings to each and every one of us.

The Australian Men’s Shed Association have put together a short video message from the AMSA Chairman, AMSA Patron His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC, and Paul Buckwell from AMSA Partner Fair Dinkum Builds.

The video can be seen on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/LuYYxbskcss