Quietly working away in a leafy corner of Tudor Village retirement village, there’s a group of residents who like to get on the tools to fix things and make beautiful handcrafts and homeware.
With a fully equipped workroom full of power tools and every possible hand tool you could imagine, the Residents Workshop is an important part of village life and the wider community.
The Tudor Village ‘Heritage’ Men’s Shed Group, the appointed custodians of the Residents Workshop, was originally formed in 2013 with 13 members and has grown over the years to now include more than 90 members and a fully operational committee. Initially working from residents’ garages and workrooms, the Group moved in January 2024 into a dedicated workshop which was built from village funds provided by the Manager of Tudor Village, TV Mews Management Pty Ltd and equipped by the Men’s Shed Group.
The Men’s Shed Group has worked hard on the design and layout of the space to allow for multi-functional projects to be undertaken in the most efficient way and this has grown to include woodworking, household repairs and fix-it jobs. Safety and adherence to OH&S practices is strictly applied and everyone is inducted when they walk in the door of the workshop, then inducted further on the equipment they are using. All power equipment is ‘Test andTagged’ and certified annually.
So what exactly do these active retirees do? No skills are needed. Many of the men don’t do woodworking or use any tools, they like to just drop in for a chat and a catchup. Other men are very skilled and have specialised their skills since joining.
The range of wood items regularly produced out of the workshop include bird houses, platters, serving trays, salt and pepper shakers, fruit bowls and other household items. Most items are produced from recycled timber that is sourced from fences that are replaced, old crates from factories nearby, random timber from the community and from the cutting of fallen trees etc. These wood-turned items are keenly in demand amongst the Tudor Village residents and can be purchased for a nominal amount.
They also collect and repair medical and health aids like walkers, wheelchairs, walking sticks, and toilet/shower aids and these are made available free to residents for short-term use.
Group members also offer a Bob-A-Job service to the village residents and can assist around the home with minor repairs, fix-it jobs and even minor electrical, plumbing and painting assistance. Residents pay a basic fee for these services to cover costs and a donation to the Workshop towards running costs.
Whilst current members are men, the women also like to drop in on Ladies Demo Days to see how the woodworking items are created, and the recent addition of a potter’s wheel has opened up opportunities for all interested residents to learn how to make pottery items.
Plans are underway to invite women to join as members and learn how to use the tools if they wish.
One legacy project that took more than two years of intensive manhours and painstaking repair work was the restoration of the Tudor Village site’s historical Apple Press and Buggy, now located on the lawn near the Community Centre. Tudor Village is built on the site of the former Mac’s Lilydale Cider production plant and orchard which operated from 1934 until the mid-60s. In 2016 the Group started work on the complete restoration of the barrel, cart and mechanism for all to appreciate the historical importance of the site of the former orchard and production plant.
Apart from the satisfaction of creating things, the real benefits of the Men’s Shed Group are the camaraderie, social interaction and support network. Over a cuppa, many of the men share stories of their lives that they might not share elsewhere. One of the group’s eldest members has made the Workshop his home away from home. His wife recently passed, then he also lost his little dog. He now goes down to the Workshop every day to tinker away and to have a chat, and it’s given him a whole new lease on life.
Committee President Haydon McDonald said anyone who walks in that door should feel welcome and included but most importantly, that they are safe.
“We like to keep it friendly and informal and to sum it up, I would say the Men’s Shed Group is a group of good people who are fun to be around,” he said.
Through this shared network, the Men’s Shed Group has broadened its scope of activities to include regular special interest day trips and social outings. Recent trips include the Puffy Billy maintenance workshops, the motorcycle museum in Cheltenham and tours of the Kenworth Trucks and Jayco factories. Tudor Village management donate the use of the village bus for these day trips.
The Group also hosts visits from various motor groups including the Morris Minor, Daimler and Jaguar Car Clubs and the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Owners Group, who kindly donated funds to buy the comprehensive first aid kit and safety equipment required for the Workshop.
Social gatherings include regular breakfasts and barbecues at the Tudor Village Community Centre and once a month the Group’s “Toucan Club” invites a special guest speaker to talk to the members over a few drinks (two-can club!).
Haydon said the Men’s Shed Group would not survive without the solid backbone of a well-run committee and good financial support.
The committee meets monthly and abides by tight professional standards of management. They are careful to remain non-political and work closely with the village management.
The members like to give back to the community and regularly fundraise for causes like koala recovery at the Healesville Sanctuary, the Guide Dogs Association, the CFA, the Village ANZAC Day ceremony as well as assisting with the ongoing maintenance and funding of the village transport buggy.
The Men’s Shed Group is very grateful for the generous support of their major sponsors Heritage Auto Group Lilydale and United Petroleum. Other generous sponsors include Lilydale/Widetread tyres, Burdens Plumbing Lilydale, Battery World Lilydale and the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Owners Group (Yarra Valley chapter).
For more information about Tudor Village please contact Kate Abdulovski on 0417 001 577 or visit www.tudorvillage.com.au
