by Nick Rowe
The Warragul Community Men's Shed (WCMS) is on the lookout for new members at its workshop and meeting place in Normanby St.

Formerly the Yarragon Men's Shed, the local chapter has been in existence since 2016. In its first six years it worked out of Community College Gippsland (CCG) in Warragul.
The club had a great relationship with CCG but a change in circumstances following COVID forced it to find alternative headquarters.
During 2021 and 2022 the club was without a home but members maintained contact via weekly coffee catch ups at Newmasons in Mason St. In 2023 the WCMS entered into a lease arrangement with Baw Baw Shire Council at 182 Normanby St, which is where it operates from today.
The Australian Men's Shed Association (AMSA) is the national service provider supporting more than 1200 Men's, Women's and Community Sheds and is recognised as one of Australia's largest male-based community development organisations.
As well as providing a place for people to catch up and support each another, the sheds perform community work via various activities such as woodwork, metal work or other "handy" operations.
The WCMS meet every Wednesday for a chat and a barbecue and get to work on a variety of community projects. Currently the group has 15 members. Wednesday is their main day but when larger projects are on they are able to meet on weekends to work on their projects for the community.
Men's Shed member Gary Rush said the group appreciated the good relationship they had with the shire.
The Warragul club's current focus is on woodwork projects. It recently completed a large outdoor picnic table for Monash Rural Health near Fairview Homes. They also produced some major cabinet work for the Headway Group.
They have completed a number of other projects for community groups such as the Warragul Toy Library and are currently working on equipment for the Warragul Community Pre-School.
While the club has a lease on the Normanby St building it has ambitions to grow and perhaps occupy a larger site in the future.
The group also holds a number of sausage sizzles at Bunnings throughout the year to raise money for various charities, with a major one at Easter for the Good Friday Appeal.
Anyone interested in attending a meeting or learning more about the Warragul Community Men's Shed can call on 0451 605 579 or email warragulcms@yahoo.com