The shed full of tools out the back will no longer be a mysterious forbidden zone for women who participated in a tool workshop with the Orange Women's Shed on Wednesday.
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Orange Women's Shed president nominee Michelle Einsaar said it was the second Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen (SALT) workshop hosted at the shed, and it was about helping women understand and gain confidence in using tools.
"Half our membership is over 65, they want a bit more independence and the fact that they are allowed to touch the tools," Miss Einsaar said.
She said among the members were widows whose late husbands had sheds out the back where they spent time tinkering with their tools but after completing the workshop the women could use the tools in the shed themselves.
"Home maintenance is a big part of it," Miss Einsaar said.
As well as giving single women more independence, she said there were also younger participants who were still trying to decide on a future career and liked working with their hands so the workshop was a good way of finding out if they'd like to pursue a trade.
VIDEO: Women get on the tools...
The workshop involved making a caddy to take home, to hold items from tools, to remotes or condiments, using a 11 tools from hammers, drills, power saws and jig saws.
Miss Einsaar said SALT provided all the timber and tools, and for some women it was their second workshop so they would sell their new caddy at a Women's Shed fundraising event in November.
"There's 19 participants and there's five tradies with SALT, they are on a regional tour, they have their office in Sydney and they have a women's shed in Sydney," she said.
Among the participants was Bernadette Felstead who took part for the second time so she could further her skills and be more confident with the tools so she could make whatever she wanted.
However, it was the first time Amie Jessop has participated in a tool workshop.
"I've always had an interest in learning these skills and doing the work and just never got around to doing it or found the right platform so I thought it would be fun to come along and learn some new skills," Miss Jessop said.
READ MORE: SALT tech at Women's Shed
The women's shed is located behind Wangarang Industries, Forrest Road, and the group, meets between 9.30am and 1pm each Wednesday and on the first and third Tuesday of the month.
It was incorporated in mid June and its priorities are safe tool use as well as expanding workshops and activities.
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