TWO local Men’s Sheds will receive funding to promote and support men’s health and wellbeing in Far North Queensland.

Mossman Community Men’s Shed will benefit from $7500 towards the cost of a container and site works to store timber and equipment, while The Club Shed Cooktown will receive $3022 for a new drop saw.

The grants are part of $400,000 in national funding which will be distributed to 93 community Men’s Sheds across Australia.

Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, said the Men’s Shed program was going from strength to strength.

“The growth in the Men’s Shed movement has been astronomical - a lot of our major centres now have them and we’re also seeing the establishment of Sheds in Indigenous communities,” Entsch said.

“I’ve worked with a number of our local Sheds from Cairns to Marlin Coast, Mossman, Aurukun and Cooktown and it’s great to see how they get men involved in innovative projects that benefit their communities.

“Men’s Sheds are a popular way for men to connect—whether it’s through a building project, a first aid workshop or a transition to retirement seminar— which is why I’d encourage any interested local blokes to give a shed a go.

“There are any number of activities for men to take part in, which in turn, provides that important sense of belonging to a community, particularly for older men and men living in rural and remote areas.”

Men’s Shed grants support the purchase of tools, equipment, community projects, training, building maintenance and development, and health improvement activities.

The Australian Government has provided $5.1 million (from 2016-17 to 2018-19) to the Australian Men’s Sheds Association (AMSA) to provide support and resources to new and existing Men’s Sheds and to manage the National Shed Development Program.

Grants are competitive with priority given to sheds in disadvantaged areas. Further rounds of funding will be available for Men’s Sheds and details can be found at the Men's Shed website.

For information on the application process, contact AMSA via email at amsa@mensshed.net or phone 1300 550 009.