Coronavirus won’t halt community spirit

By Makayla Muscat

During Covid-19, the Blue Mountains Women’s Shed is continuing to run pop-up classes to help local women connect and learn new skills.  

The organisation announced on Facebook in August they are now a ‘registered not for profit charity.’ The community group offers to women a huge range of voluntary activities including basic sewing techniques, patternmaking, acrylic paint pouring, mosaic and portrait drawing.  

Many women need to use power tools to maintain the property they live in. Classes operate on Monday mornings to learn how to use drills and chainsaws safely. “We will be using the skills learnt to construct Street Libraries for the Blue Mountains City Council,” Vice President Sherlie McMillan says.

In a city council media release Ms McMillan says her members from across the Mountains are eager to participate in the project.

Covid-19 hasn't stopped the Blue Mountains Women's Shed from working on community projects.

Blue Mountains Labor Councillor, Romola Hollywood has praised the group for their work in the community. “It’s wonderful to see that they’re working with the Mid-mountains Men’s Shed on Council’s new street library initiative,” she says.

According to the Blue Mountains Women’s Shed website, the charity group is “committed to Accessibility, Equity, Inclusiveness, Collaboration and Community.”

Ms McMillan said over 1,130 women have already joined the Blue Mountains Women’s Shed Facebook group and one of the reasons many women join is to meet other women for outings.

The relatively new group has rapidly gained momentum with women in the Blue Mountains. Ms McMillan said the new Coronavirus restrictions have not halted their development. “We became an incorporated group during this time,” she says.

Currently, classes are being run with reduced numbers to ensure they adhere to the physical distancing requirements being enforced in NSW by the State Government.

Basic patternmaking class at Ben Robert's Café in Lawson on Saturday, August 22.

“It’s fantastic to see this new group, the Blue Mountains Women’s Shed, gain such support in such a short period of time. They clearly are fulfilling a need amongst women to connect, learn new skills and to give back to the community,” says Councillor Hollywood.

The Blue Mountains Women’s Shed are already focusing on future projects. As part of their next community initiative, they are forming a group to make wildlife pouches and nesting boxes.

Despite the current global crisis, the Blue Mountains Women’s Shed say they will continue to empower women, provide a supportive space for collaboration and persevere with community projects.