G’day Shedderss, Rip Woodchip here,how ya all goin today?
I’m comin’ to ya from the heart of the shed—where the tea’s always hot, the tools are always missin’, and the blokes are always willing to lend a hand, shakey as it might be!
Well, it’s National Volunteer Week later this month, so today we’re havin’ a bit of a yarn about something close to the heart of every shed around the country: Volunteering.
Most of us shedders are volunteers—turnin’ up, lendin’ a hand, and often makin’ things to sell. From birdhouses to benches, toy trucks to planter boxes—all that good gear that helps bring in a few bucks to keep the lights on and the kettle warm. You might not think much of that gumtree table you knocked together, but that’s money goin’ straight back into the shed.
That’s right—thank you to every single one of you who gives your time, your skills, and your heart to keep your local shed runnin’.
See, the truth is, without volunteers… there is no shed.
The cuppa at smoko? That didn’t pour itself.
That table in the corner? Built by someone with time and care.
That lawn out the front? Mowed by a bloke who just wanted to help.
The dunny you could almost eat soup outa? Someone went to great pains to get them screech marks off.
And then there’s the committee blokes — the quiet achievers behind the scenes.
those unsung heroes that wrangle the paperwork,wrestle with the council, keep the books balanced, and even clean the dunnies to make sure the shed can actually open its doors each week. Without ‘em, we’d all be sittin’ in the car park wonderin’ why the lights are off!
They do it all, not for a pay cheque, but because they believe in what the shed gives back to the community.
Now I know what you’re thinkin’—
“Rip, I’m retired mate, I’ve done me time!” I come to the shed because I don’t wanna work anymore?”
But here’s the thing… every single shed across this wide brown land is built on the back of good blokes—and a few top-notch sheilas too—volunteering their time, their skills, and their heart.
So whether you’re handy with a hammer or a wizard on a whiteboard, there’s always something you can do.
And you might wanna check out the events we’re throwing around the country for Volunteering week – take a gander here!