During the week men of all ages gather at the Ravenswood Memorial Hall to work on a range of projects. 

It it these collaborations that often lead to important conversations about health, according to shed coordinator David Long.

During Men’s Health Week from June 11-17, the Australian Men’s Shed Association is shedding light on the importance of the health and wellbeing of men. 

Mr Jones said the Ravenswood shed had an ongoing focus on the health of its members, particularly issues relating to mental health.

“We have a number of guys here, who have been dealing with mental health issues for quite some time,” he said.

“They come regularly and we can see they are benefiting – that’s why they keep coming back.”

Men’s Health Week is aimed at raising awareness for preventable health problems and to encourage conversations about key issues. 

Mr Jones said the shed provided a natural environment for men to talk about their health. 

“It’s a natural results of what we do here,” he said. 

“Men’s sheds are all about the positive benefits of socialisation. We don’t say – right we are going to sit down and talk about our issues. 

“We put our head together to work on a project and the conversations happen causally. It is authentic and I think at the end of the day, a lot more beneficial.”

For the past two months the Ravenswood Men's and Community Shed have been participating in the inaugural Healthy Shed program. 

A partnership between Starting Point Neighbourhood House and Healthy Tasmania, shed members have engaged in a number of information sessions on topics including stress management, medication and respectful relationships. 

Mr Jones said the shed would always encourage a healthy conversation with its members. 

“People can drop in and sit down for a coffee and that can be the start of something,” he said.