The Surry Hills Northcott Community Shed (SHNCS) is an incorporated community group established with the assistance of the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre to develop a Community (Men’s) Shed at the Northcott Public Housing estate in Belvoir St, Surry Hills. SHNCS is a Level 1 member of the Australian Men’s Shed Association and their objectives are to address the problem of social isolation within the community, particularly but not exclusively among older men, by establishing and operating a multi-discipline trades and craft workshop.
The NSW Land and Housing Corporation has given the Surry Hills community a rare opportunity to develop the shed through a favourable lease of the shed site. The initial grant from the NSW Premier and Cabinet Community Development Grant has enabled the structural renovations to the existing building to begin. SHNCS has made additional funding applications and requests for corporate donations to acquire basic equipment and materials.
The Shed will be used for multi-purpose activities complementary to the existing Northcott Community Centre and Community Garden. SHNCS encourages the development and sharing of skills and competence of its members and believes the shed will help promote healthy lifestyles, and involvement in and development of a more vibrant community.
The group is still in the building phase of the work shed. The City of Sydney has granted DA approval for the use and extension of existing ground floor enclosure as a community shed’, including a kitchenette area and four workbenches. SHNCS has the Construction Certificate and Notice of Commencement and should be breaking ground soon.
It is hoped the Community Shed will be up and running by September 2017. In the meantime, SHNCS is looking for interested members and volunteers. Committee Meetings are held monthly, at 3pm on the last Friday of each month at the Northcott Community Centre, next to Ward Park. Any interested people are welcome to join.
For more information, email Graham Brecht on graham006@me.com or leave your details with one of the volunteers in the Northcott Community Centre.