Newmarket Bocce Club

Ashgrove/The Gap Men’s Shed now 10 years old

Time flies and it is now ten years since our local Men’s Shed tentatively kicked off at the Ashgrove Blue Care centre with a small but enthusiastic team of new members. Now we have over 100 members and our own dedicated facilities - a work shed and separate activities building - at Yoorala Street, The Gap. On days we don’t meet, we share the use of the activities building with five other community organisations.

That we have a steady influx of new members reflects the attraction and need for the range of activities the Men’s Shed offers to members. Nearly all of us are retired and for people of our typical age group, all the evidence points to the importance for mental and physical wellbeing of being socially engaged and keeping both brain and body active. Well, the Shed has a range of activities catering for those needs. We offer:

A Book Club, with the convenor adept at stimulating interesting discussion. It’s as challenging as you want to make it, while always very relaxed.

A weekly Discussion Group reflecting on topical events and issues, solving the problems of the world - although not too seriously - and sharing humour.

The Cards group play 500 every Shed meeting day.

Monthly guest speakers, with both invited and in-house presenters. “Talking Technical”, a fortnightly group that discusses any technical-type subject.

The Verandah of Knowledge where members casually sit, talk and laugh on the Shed verandah over a tea or coffee. This is an important aspect of Shed life - the opportunity to simply meet and engage with other men in a friendly and agenda-free environment.

The Work Shed - always busy on a range of restoration projects and the regular toy repair service.

A Walking Group with a different walk every Tuesday morning, both locally and further afield in Brisbane and surrounds, followed by coffee.

A Bike Group who get together for a weekly bicycle ride (both regular and e-bikes) with a refreshment stop along the way. These rides are not restricted to Shed Members and they work on an “Everybody Welcome” basis.

Model Trains. The Shed has an elaborate work-in-progress model train project for enthusiasts.

Monthly social events at the Shed such as barbecues, always well attended. We are grateful to Regis Aged Care, The Gap, for their support for these events.

Monthly lunches at local pubs and clubs.

Away excursions - bus, boat and train trips to interesting venues, expos, towns and the like, with wives, partners and friends included.

An annual camp at various localities around the south-east, again with wives and partners included.

For enquiries about the Shed see our website at ashgrovethegapshed.com giving details of our current activities, meeting times and contact details for key people.

Newmarket Bocce Club News

by Mario De Marco. Secretary of the Newmarket Bocce Club

Well the club has certainly been busy this month. I have posted in the past the Precision Bowl competition, I think this is the clubs fourth and it was no different on Wednesday 19th. We are getting better at this game each time it is played.

We had 26 players on the night. We start off with dinner - lasagne and panini followed by desert and coffee and then off to have four competitive games. But have I told you that we also have a lot of fun? I was referee. It’s certainly a challenging job with nail-biting decisions to be made. But we got there! Winners were Tony L, Vittorio and John M.

Enjoy the photos and remember there are no losers in bocce, we are all winners.

Call me, Mario on 0403257325 or Bill on 0431 458 481.

Winners of the Precision Bowl competition were Tony L, Vittorio and John M.

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