SINGAPORE: A local men’s shed has been recognised nationally for building a custom device to get one of their members off the sidelines and onto the bocce ball court.

Brian Downs, one of the regular members of the Marlin Coast Men’s Shed, had a stroke about 20 years ago and has since been confined to a motorised wheelchair.

Members of the shed designed and built a custom bocce ball launcher to allow him to fully participate in games.

Their ingenuity has earned them the Bright Spark award at the Australian Men’s Shed Association’s national awards.

The award recognises creativity, innovation and practical problem-solving within men’s sheds.

Eric Wilson, who is on the shed’s finance and fundraising committee, submitted the award application.

“He can drive the (motorised wheelchair), but has limited ability in his upper and lower body,” he said.

“He would come out of a morning when we were playing bocce, and he’d just sit in his chair and watch.

“He’d keep score and things like that … (then) one of our guys came up with the idea that somehow we can get Brian involved so he can play and not just sit as a spectator.”

Mr Wilson said the spring loaded launch device was like a catapult that clamps onto Mr Downs’ chair, so he can raise, lower and turn it, launch bocce balls and participate in games.

After starting out with a prototype and working through a lot of bugs, the device was finished after a month or two trying it out each Wednesday morning when the shed would meet.

Mr Wilson was involved throughout the whole process of designing and creating the launcher, making sure it attached correctly to his chair.

The national award was a nice recognition for the shed that pleased members, and surprised others as they didn’t know Mr Wilson even submitted the application.

The group has since shared the plans with the national men’s shed body for other sheds to use.

“We thought you could translate that notion into other things that people with disabilities might be able to make use of,” Mr Wilson said.

The shed has become quite well known in the community, becoming involved in various fundraising initiatives, groups and events since forming in 2011.

They’ve grown to have about 70 members and are located at the sporting precinct in Trinity Beach.

The group is involved in a lot of projects, and along with the bocce courts that were created about four years ago, has a woodworking shed, metal shed, pottery studio, and native species nursery, which earned them a finalist position for the Green Shed Award.

The nursery grows more than 4500 trees across 204 species for community planting and environmental restoration projects.

The shed’s main demographic is retired men who’ve found that in retirement, they don’t have a whole lot to do, and come along to be a part of those projects and put resources back into the community.

The group funds itself through grants and fundraising, which Mr Wilson said they get help with from some of the groups and events they work on.