Just 12 months ago, the then-fledgling group of around 60 women had only just found a permanent home in an old tennis clubhouse in Beckwith Street, which had previously been used by Apex members.

The Wagga Women’s Shed is now booming and has more than 300 members.

President Kerrie Luff, one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the Women’s Shed, said it had been an extraordinary first year.

“If you had had told me 12 months ago that in just a year we would have 300 members, I would have said ‘no way’," Ms Luff said.

“It’s been pretty amazing. It’s been such a big year.

Ms Luff said the Wagga Women’s Shed was open five days each week, with a huge variety of activities on offer for members.

There is everything from yoga and meditation to line dancing and walking.

For those who prefer a hands-on activity, there is scrapbooking, stencilling, projects to help participants learn about power tools or creative writing.

Activities and workshops are a blend of the regular and the new. 

And most, Ms Luff said, are actually lead by group members.

“There’s always something different going on,” she said.

“So many of our members are putting their hands up and saying ‘I can do such-and-such’.

“By having them do something, they have grown in confidence.”

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To celebrate the first anniversary of the Women’s Shed, there will be a Fair Day on Sunday, from 11am to 2pm.

There will be about 20 markets stalls, with a variety of offerings, a barbecue and entertainment.

Ms Luff said one of the features on the entertainment schedule would be some displays by a Medieval re-enactment group.

“That’s going to be something just a little bit different,” she said.

The SMART Animal Sanctuary and Rehoming Centre is one of the groups that will be at the first anniversary celebrations, and volunteers are promising they will have a cuddly dog or two available for the occasional cuddle.

Existing members will be able to sign up for another year, while new members will also be able to join the Women’s Shed.

For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.

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