Nestled in the beautiful and historical Balcombe Heights Estate sits the Hills Womens Shed.
An initiative of the Positive Vibes Foundation, the Hills Women’s Shed offers an opportunity for women of all backgrounds and stages of life to meet together, to share stories and to learn new skills whilst forming meaningful friendships and connections.
The Hills Women’s Shed offers a reprieve from the day-to-day responsibilities of home and work, where women can participate in a variety of recreational, leisure and personal development activities allowing them to feel part of an inclusive and welcoming community.
Activities run at the Shed include workshops such as screen printing, gardening, macrame, making face masks, glass painting, canvas painting, intuitive painting, constructing mosaic coasters, and more. The Hills Women’s Shed also hosts cooking classes as well as classes on good nutrition and mental health as well as life skill workshops such as learning to change a tyre and check your car’s oil. Bus trips to places such as Bowral and Leura are also popular activities.
What is special about The Hills Women’s Shed, it is also a place you can pop into for a coffee and a chat with the other ladies or to read a book in the front room or to potter around in the backyard and in the gardens.
There is no pressure to participate in the work re possible the activities are provided free of charge to participants ensuring all those who want to attend the shed can regardless of their financial position.
For many of the women who attend the Hills Women’s Shed it has become an important lifeline, offering a place to make deep connections with others, to find support for the challenges they are facing and to improve their well-being in many ways.
Women’s Sheds are starting to become increasingly popular with more and more sheds beginning to spring up around the country. However, unlike the 1200 Men’s Sheds which are part of the Australian Men’s Shed Association which was formed in 2007, there is no peak body yet for the Women’s Sheds that offers support and financial assistance to the running of the sheds.
Putting this aside, what has become clear in the past few years is that Women’s shed are equally important as Men’s Sheds in reducing social isolation, connecting people, creating conversations and community whilst reducing the impact of mental health issues.
The Hills Women’s Shed runs every Thursday 10am – 12pm and every second Saturday of the month 11am-1pm with the last session for 2024 to be held on 9 December. All women are welcome to attend.
