Tucked away in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, the Playford Women’s Shed is the first of its kind in Australia. It’s a safe, welcoming space where women can gather, learn and support each other.
Founder Raelene was close to retirement when she began wondering what the next chapter of her life would look like. While The men’s sheds have existed across Australia as a place for social connection, there was nothing equivalent for women.
Determined to change that, Raelene used her own superannuation to launch the very first women’s shed in 2020.
A welcoming space for all women
Her vision was to provide a safe, supportive and friendly environment for women to volunteer, share skills and build connections.
“Our shed is open to all women from all walks of life, no matter what race, ethnicity, age, or cultural beliefs,” Raelene said.
“Here, all women are equal.”
The shed offers creative workshops like ceramic mosaics and crochet, plus practical life skills classes in tech and financial help.
One insightful class is an end-of-life planning workshop that helps women understand wills and palliative care options. This is delivered as part of the statewide Palliative Care Research Collaboration (PCRC) project.
“The class was very helpful as a way to get women to start thinking about these types of matters that aren’t necessarily on their minds,” Raelene said.
Supporting vulnerable communities
The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Palliative Care is proudly funding the PCRC to ensure all communities have access to quality palliative care.
The PCRC has brought together the state’s leading palliative care researchers to bridge the gap for care for these more vulnerable populations. The researchers are from The University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Flinders University, local health networks and advocacy groups.
Project Lead Associate Professor Jaklin Eliott from The University of Adelaide said the PCRC is about working together with dedicated and selfless people like Raelene. These are people who are already in the community making a difference.
“Everyone should be able to get the care they need and want at the end of life,” A/Prof Eliott said.
“That means providing information and resources that meets people where they are, share what they need and how they want it.”
“That’s what the PCRC project is about.”
