How the Aussies saw our Festival
International Mens Shed Gathering-
Dublin October 3-5
The Irish Mens Shed Association hosted the first International Mens Shed Gathering as part of their 2014 conference held at the Helix Centre in Dublin. With the theme “Learning from Down Under’ the AMSA was represented at the conference with 3 delegates David Helmers (AMSA,CEO) Paul Sladdin (AMSA Board Member and President of the VMSA) and Graeme Curnow (AMSA Board Member and President of the QMSA).
At the conference all 3 AMSA delegates participated in a Q&A session that provided the audience with valuable information regarding Mens Sheds, and the popular “All Power to You”, the QMSA DVD for men in Sheds who suffer from arthritis was screened in the program just prior to the President’s presentation.
The key address of the conference was made by Irish the President Michael Higgins who is also the Patron of the Irish Mens Shed Association, Mr Higgins acknowledged the Australian Mens Shed movement and gave acknowledgement to the Australian Mens Shed Association for assisting in the development of the Irish Mens Shed movement that has made such a difference in improving the well being and health of so many Irish Men. The president’s address can be viewed at
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=4QdknYCbStU
Prior to the conference was a “Shed Crawl” visiting the Blanchardstown/Mulhuddart Men’s Shed, Moynalty Men’s Shed and the Drogheda Men’s Shed all of which were very impressive operations each being very different in structure and showed the diversity of Mens Sheds is universal.
Following on from the conference Graeme visited a number of Shed’s around Ireland while David travelled to England and Whales to address a Mens Shed conference in England and meet with Mens Sheds in Whales.
The Australian Mens Shed movement has now been replicated in so many other countries all utilising AMSA’s information as well as our Shed Management and establishment principals. Overall the trip was a great success and highlighted the achievements of the Mens Shed movement and that of the AMSA in providing support for our partnering Associations. Thank you to our representatives for volunteering their time and knowledge, each of which also had to fund their travel expenses.
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© 2011 AMSA
