When Ryan Barlow was 16, he would have loved a place like the Forbes Men’s Shed - a workshop equipped not only with tools but with people willing to share their skills and experience. Now, as president of the shed, he’s keen to help it grow and open its doors to even more people in the community. Forbes Men’s Shed is already a remarkable space. With extensive floor space, well-equipped work areas and a wealth of knowledge among its members, it continues to evolve as a place where people can learn, develop and put their skills to use. Metalwork and woodworking areas are well established. More recently, a 3D printer has become a welcome addition - helping meet a need in the community while also giving members the chance to learn computer-aided design. “If this is something you’re interested in you can come and try, get training on before you invest,” Ryan said. Ryan himself brings a range of skills to the shed. He runs a blacksmithing business and has set up a forge at the workshop, adding another craft to the mix. “There’s always someone who knows how to do something and that’s one of the biggest pluses of the community side of the men’s shed,” Ryan said. “We’re able to do pretty much anything in some sort of way.” Ryan and his wife moved to Forbes from the city last year and he quickly connected with the shed community. Elected president last October, he is now working with the board to build on what is in place and expand what the shed can offer. One of his key messages is simple: if you have an idea, or want to try something, come and talk about it. The shed currently opens Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and Ryan has also made it a priority to open on Saturdays so more people can take part. “I would encourage anyone in the community who has free time or finds themselves in a position in which they would be interested in helping us out with that,” he said. “Because the longer I can keep this place open the more opportunities there are for people to come in and use what we’ve got - and more than anything else that’s what I want to see.” Next generation The shed is also looking to the future, opening its doors to younger members through a new junior membership program for 16 to 18-year-olds. The program allows teenagers to be mentored by experienced members and gain hands-on experience in a workshop environment. The shed is also ready to offer work experience placements through local schools. “It’s specifically so they can gain experience around a workshop, they can gain experience with tools,” Ryan said. While the program doesn’t offer formal qualifications, participants can receive written references to support future training or employment. For Ryan, it’s also about giving young people the opportunities he wished he’d had. “I know when I was 16 years old I loved the idea of putting together boxes, making things, but I didn’t have the tools and I didn’t have the materials – and I certainly didn’t have the money to go out and buy all the stuff for it,” he said. “Here we’ve got them. “That’s the big plus of coming into the men’s shed.” Community support Forbes Men's Shed plays an active role in the community. Members work on a wide range of projects, from cutting firewood and kindling to building planter boxes, restoring furniture and growing fruit trees. Recently the group donated an insulin fridge for regional nurses, helping ensure medications can be stored at the correct temperature while staff are travelling. Members also partner with schools and community groups on projects such as building the roadside fruit and vegetable stand for Bedgerabong School. Looking ahead, Ryan would love to see the shed expand even further - including the possibility of creating an automotive workspace where people could learn to work on their mower or a project car. Interested people are encouraged to come along and find out more. Forbes Men’s Shed is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 1pm, and Saturday from 11am to 4pm. Anyone interested can come in and “try” the shed four times before deciding whether to join. Membership is $40 a year and includes insurance.
