Falcon Menshed, WA

The Falcon Menshed is located on a strip of land, less then one kilometre wide between the Indian Ocean and the Peel Inlet. It is to the South of Perth near Mandurah; almost ninety kilometres or an hour and a quarter's drive from Perth. The Menshed itself is located in amongst the suburban homes. It is located behind a neighbourhood centre and it is about the size of a triple garage.

This shed is too small, cluttered and claustrophobic to be anything but a problem in the future. In saying that it still is a small community's way of providing a resource for its men folk, working within limited resources.

The day of my visit I met up with Melody Howey, the Community Centre Coordinator, and Allen Davies who is one of the sixteen men of the Falcon Menshed. Melody was delightful and warm in her greeting when I arrived. She was very clear about the importance of the Menshed to the men of her community. She is passionate about the community's role in providing resources for those who have a genuine need of assistance. As she said to me “the men here provide support and companionship to one another. They don't always come down to the Menshed to do things; some times they only come for the company of the other men!”

Melody would like to open the Menshed more often then its current 10am to 3pm every Tuesday; “only the shortage of supervisors to oversee the running of the shed is holding us back” she said. She is also looking at building an extension to the menshed as soon as she can obtain additional funding, that she has applied for. There is no doubt the men of Falcon love their Menshed and will continue to enjoy it as it develops, with the ongoing caring help it currently receives.

 

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