Huon She Shed Ranelagh asks- Will you GoFundMe?

The Huon She Shed, Tasmania 

A safe place for women to learn basic home maintenance and handyperson skills 

 We are a non-profit organisation and a registered charity with DGR status and our aim is to provide a safe, inclusive environment for women of all ages, backgrounds, identities and capabilities where they can gather, learn these basic skills and build the confidence to be able to undertake their own minor home repairs and projects. The project will also deliver important social, mental health and wellbeing benefits by providing an environment that encourages women to share with other women their learning and practical experiences while also developing confidence in maintaining social connections within the community. This is particularly important for women in regional areas, many of whom are known to experience social isolation and loneliness, domestic violence and/or marginalisation. While it has been a long journey to bring this project to fruition, close to 780 women have signed on to Huon She Shed’s Facebook page with enquiries about the Shed being received weekly, affirming a very real need in the community. With the support of Huon Valley Council in providing premises at Ranelagh Showgrounds and the establishment of a strong Board that has enabled the implementation of all necessary permits, layout plans, governance and administrative foundations, it is exciting to advise that the shed fit out is well under way. Raising funds to fit the shed out is quite challenging. We are a small regional geographically widespread community and understand business funding is limited. While we have had some progress with sponsorship and private donations, support from Government grants remain difficult to access as women’s only sheds are not eligible for the considerable grant funding open to men’s sheds. Lobbying Government to consider providing equity in grant funds to include the needs of women is a long-term process that we are actively pursuing, not just for us, but for all women’s sheds. In the meantime, however, we are eager to complete the fit-out of the Huon She Shed and provide a much-needed learning, development and safe making space for the women in our community and beyond. To ensure our shed is fit for purpose and ready to operate, it requires new plumbing and electrical work, as well as various building refurbishment to ensure it is to code. 

Our Go Fund Me page is now open after many of you suggested this as a brilliant avenue to help raise funds to achieve this aim. Can you help us to open so we can commence workshops and support programs to the women in our community? 

 Thank you!