Old men new ideas
A group with an unusual name has been formed in Bunyup.
Known as Older Men New Ideas, the group met for the first time last month.
Twenty five men braved a freezing cold morning to gather at the Bunyip Hall for the inaugural meeting of OM:NI ( Older Men New Ideas )
Developed and run by male volunteers from Council on the Ageing the introductory meeting provided opportunities for retired local district men to meet, talk and enjoy relating stories to each other about their lives over a cup of tea.
The Bunyip group will be meeting on the first Wednesday of each month. The first meeting will be August 1 at 9:15am in the Bunyip Hall.
Group spokesman Roman Kulkewycz said many men retire and hit a brick wall with seemingly nowhere to go.
“They can regress into a cocoon and become quite dormant. OM:NI gets them out of the house and gives them the opportunity to be part of support group where they can help others like themselves,” he said.
OM:NI was first established in New South Wales in the late 90s under COTA NSW.
Unlike a Men’s Shed environment, there are no physical activities during a meeting. The format of meetings is discussion and support.
Members share what’s been significant in their lives since the last meeting.
There are strict rules which each member must abide by, one of those is confidentiality.
This allows men the confidence to share their feelings with other like minded men. Participation in group discussions is voluntary; no one is forced to speak if they choose not to.
A topic is chosen for discussion at the following month’s meeting. Men from Tynong to Lonwarry and beyond are welcome to attend the next meetin.
For more information contactt Tony Arrigo on 0407 563 441
The current return to scheduled V/Line services on the Gippsland line has been short-lived.
Notices have been placed at stations in the past few days stating it will be back to road coach travel from next Saturday.
No train services will run between Gippsland and the city for nine days from last Saturday until Sunday, July 8.
It will be coaches all the way although the reasons given on the notices state the trains won’t be running “due to signalling, power and platform works in the metropolitan area”.
Additional coaches will operate between Warragul and Drouin stations and Parliament station in the city at peak morning and afternoon periods on week days.
V/Line warns travellers to allow up to an extra 90 minutes for travel at peak times and 60 minutes during the off-peak periods.