Graham (front) with his shed mates at the Bellbowrie shed opening
This year at the National Shed awards, proudly supported by Fair Dinkum Builds, the Shedder of the Year was a new category introduced due to overwhelming feedback from sheds. The inaugural award went to Graham Barnard, who has been instrumental in establishing two sheds in Brisbane – the Bellbowrie Moggill Community Men’s Shed and Shed West Community Men’s Shed (Shed West). For almost two decades Graham has dedicated much of his life to the advancement of the Shed movement and this commitment continues to this present time, particularly with his continuing role advising and assisting the further development of the Bellbowrie Shed. Graham has been recognised by both Sheds with life membership status.
When Graham was about to retire, he was involved in the local RSL branch, who were talking about establishing a men’s shed. This led to Graham becoming a foundation member of the steering committee formed in 2007, which located a site and obtained funding to establish the first new shed in the western suburbs of Brisbane. Some two years later their efforts were successful and in early 2010 the inaugural meeting of Shed West was held. Graham was also responsible for the introduction of many of the Shed’s activities including determining reliable funding sources and establishing important community links and relationships.
Graham lives in the Bellbowrie and Moggill area, which was completely cut off during the 2011 Queensland floods. When the waters finally subsided, Shed West and its members helped a lot of the local families affected by the floods to clean up and rebuild.
By that time, Shed West was at capacity and the members decided it was time to set up an adjunct to Shed West in the outer western Brisbane suburbs in which reside a number of retired men, including many retired veterans from the ADF. (Brisbane has two major ADF establishments located at RAAF Base Amberly and Gallipoli Enoggera Barracks). Graham, with support from a local Lions Club, sought community interest and the first Shed meeting was held later in 2012 in temporary facilities.
Grahams located a permanent location for the new shed and undertook the eventual legalities of separation from Shed West. He also led the complicated negotiations with the Queensland Government to finally secure an ongoing lease on one acre site on their extensive property at Moggill achieved separate incorporation registration, culminating in the formal legal establishment of the Bellbowrie Shed in July, 2018.
The shed has now become a full shed in its own right, and is rapidly reaching capacity as well.
The shed provides many regular shed activities such as woodwork, leatherwork, a library, gardening and have recently set up a metalworking area. Being very community focused, the shed also offers one-off fixes for things people find hard to get fixed anywhere else!
Graham has been a tireless and fierce ambassador for our Shed and has fostered strong relationships with local council, state and federal political members and fellow community organisations. His partnerships with groups such as Lions, Rotary and the RSL have been instrumental to the progress of our Shed, including grant and other financial assistance.
His shed mates said of Graham “He is most caring of the health and wellbeing of our members and has visited and contacted and assisting incapacitated members, arranging home care and other matters. His commitment to the health and safety of members, regardless of the sometimes-difficult circumstances, never deters him. Most importantly however his lasting legacy is measured by the spirit of camaraderie and mateship our Shed enjoys.”
Graham said “the award came as a great surprise, as I didn’t even know I’d been nominated. I was blown away! I joined the shed movement because I thought it was time to give back to the community – and that’s what I get out of being involved. I’m very honoured to be the recipient of the first Shedder or the Year award!”