He was invited to talk to the men about a range of issues last Wednesday at Sunshine.

"I hadn't even really heard of the [Men's Shed] program before, but it's great to see men getting together, having a chat and working on things," he said.

Mr Twentyman started off speaking about the history of Sunshine and encouraged the men to speak to their children and grandchildren about the area.

"I told them that a lot of kids these days don't have the advantage we may have had and how important it is to pass on the history of things around this area," he said.

Mr Twentyman spoke about his own battle with "bulge" and health issues.

"Some time ago my wife started getting into me about losing weight for my health and also for my granddaughter," he said.

"So I looked into getting the lap-band surgery and the rest is history."

Mr Twentyman had complications from hernias found during lap-band surgery in March. He spent 21 days in an induced coma.

"I told these men it was important to get to the doctor's as soon as you can," he said. "It's not wussy to be a man and go to the doctor's if you are not well."

He told them that AFL great Ted Whitten would probably still be alive if he had asked for a prostate check when he first felt sick.

The Men's Shed programs were set up to offer a space for men to participate in a range of positive activities. They often meet up to chat or hear a guest speaker, to do volunteer work and work on projects. The 'sheds' are also a place to help tackle isolation and get men back involved in the community - another topic Mr Twentyman touched on.

"I told them about a number of local issues, like the community fight to get the Sunshine outdoor pool reopened and the fight to save the Western Bulldogs," he said.

"It's the power of the community to rise up and make a difference."