Women in Lithgow had the opportunity to learn to use a range of tools on Saturday, with a workshop hosted by women tradies at Lithgow Information and Neighbourhood Centre.
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A group of twenty novices learnt how to use a range of DIY gadgets from hand saws and hammers to drop saws and drills, creating their own wooden tool boxes in the process.
“We came to get more experience and learn how to use the tools, it was fabulous,” Marita Day said, who attended the workshop with her daughter Chelsea.
The session was run by national not-for-profit organisation SALT, Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen, whose members provide workshops on basic tool skills all over the country.
Painter and decorator Fi Shewring, who founded the organisation, led the workshop at LINC, as well as another at Kandos Primary School on Friday.
She said both workshops received positive feedback.
“People of all ages and genders like hands-on things,” she said.
“A proportion of the population is born like that and being a woman doesn’t change what you can do.”
Ms Shewring said she was inspired to challenge people’s perception of trades when she entered the male-dominated workforce.
“I have always been hands-on since I was a little girl. But that was transferred into doing arts and craft,” she said.
It was not until she started working with her husband, a painter and decorator, that she saw she could put her skills to use as a tradeswoman.
“I realised my hands-on ability was just as good for that as it was for art and craft,” she said.
“We’ve got to get away from people saying this gender does this, and this gender does that. What you can do is not determined by your gender.”
The tool workshop was organised by Ali Kim, a Lithgow resident who is hoping to establish a women’s shed in town.
“I think it’s important for women to learn skills they may not have had a chance to learn before,” she said.
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She said many of the members of the Lithgow Women’s Shed group are older women who are no longer partnered or their husbands have passed away.
“They’ve been left with a house full of tools and don’t know how to use them,” Ms Kim said.
“It empowers women to let them know they can do what they want.”
SALT has established a women’s shed at Quakers Hill.
“Women’s sheds have a different function to men’s sheds,” Ms Shewring said.
“Men tend to have a lot of skills but don’t tend to support each other. Whereas women tend to support each other but women come to the shed to gain skills,” she said.
If you are interested in becoming part of Lithgow Women’s Shed you can join the Facebook group or email lithgowwomensshed2018@gmail.com.
Those wanting to donate tools or a venue for the shed’s activities are also encouraged to get in contact.