Would your Shed like to be represented at the Australian Men’s Shed National Conference 2013 in Melbourne
The Treasurer of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association, Niall Nordell, has kindly offered to organise a delegation of IMSA members to attend the 5th National Conference of the AMSA in Melbourne in October 2013. We have no funding to support this delegation but we are prepared to put the energy in over the coming months to raise the needed funds so we need to know who would be interested.
If your Shed would like to participate in this trip please read the options below and let us know what means of participation you would like.
Niall Nordell
Initial costings for this trip suggest that the following would be involved:
- The supply of return economy class tickets from Dublin to Melbourne
- Payment of Conference Registration Fees and Conference Dinner
- Payment of Hotel room and breakfast for the duration of the stay
- Payment of Travel Insurance for the duration of the stay
Participants to the Melbourne Conference will be expected to pay for their own meals and entertainment outside that of the Conference Schedule. It is anticipated that the Conference organisers will supply tea/coffee and mid-day meals as part of the Conference fee. Travel expenses to and from the airport and other venues and for the duration of the Conference will also be paid by the Conference participants.
At this early stage the costs associated with the above is reckoned as follows
Return Flight Melbourne €1200.00
Hotel Accommodation
For 7 nights @€110 pn €770.00
Breakfasts X 7 @ €12 ea € 84.00
Conference Fee est. €300.00
Conference Dinner est. € 50.00
TOTAL €2404.00 Rounded to €2500.00 per person to incl. Ins.
Some options envisaged for paying for this trip are as follows:
- Individual Members may pay for themselves in total
- Participating Sheds may choose to pay for individual delegates in total
- Participating Sheds may participate in a draw (at the cost of €500.00 per participating Shed) which will enable ONE Shed to send a delegate for each group of 5 participating Sheds.
Obviously at this stage it is impossible to gauge the level of interest in this proposal however in relation to the last option, if 40 sheds were to decide to participate in the draw then 8 Sheds could choose delegates, based on their own individual criteria.
It is intended to do some fundraising to reduce the cost of this trip to Sheds thereby enabling more Sheds to send delegates and/or to fully fund individual participants (selection criteria to be decided upon). Any suggestions regarding fund raising for this are very welcome.
This is a wonderful opportunity for IMSA Members to meet first hand Australia Men’s Sheds Members and be inspired by the various projects individual Sheds get involved in. It is also a once in a life time opportunity to see Australia and Melbourne in particular.
If there is enough interest in this proposal from IMSA Sheds it is our intention to execute our fundraising plans ASAP by initiating a publicity campaign . . . it is therefore ESSENTIAL that we know your views IMMEDIATELY.
This is not a project which can be organised over a short time frame as flights, fees and hotels will have to be booked well in advance to avail of the best possible rates to keep within the estimated costs, and the IMSA would like to raise its profile in Ireland with this project and ensure that potential sponsors get maximum exposure for any support.
Please respond to this proposal as soon as possible
At : niall@menssheds.ie please state your Shed name and which participation option(s) your Shed would like to pursue and number of participants envisaged in each option. It is envisaged that any monies due to finance participants would be fully paid by individuals or Sheds by May 2013 (subject to confirmation)
