The newly-opened Margaret River Men’s Shed has opened its doors, and with a remarkable 100 foundation members signed on, the future looks bright for the organisation.
The group’s Terry Hutchings was on site at the ‘new’ shed, located within the Old Settlement on the banks of the Margaret River, and said support for the venture had been strong.
“We reached our target of one hundred foundation members, which is a fantastic indication of the support and interest we have from the people in the area,” he said.
The group is working on the new home while approvals are sought for the construction of a permanent shed facility at the old water tower near Gloucester Park.
“While we are waiting for those approvals to come through, we are pleased to be opening the doors to this shed and our members are working hard on upgrading a number of areas, weatherproofing and securing the building.”
The old Blacksmith’s Shop, built by Malcolm Paine, will be their home for the next couple of years and plans are underway for a tool and hardware museum within the building, as well as the usual Men’s Shed facilities.
“We are keen to gather as many items as we can for this project, so if there are people with old tools and treasures from the shed and their farms we would be very keen to accept those items,” Mr Hutchings said.
The Men’s Shed is also in need of donations of tools, hardware, power tools and everything in between.
“We are asking people to go through their sheds – everyone has things they need to get rid of or upgrade, and we will gladly accept everything, even screws and nails, sheeting.
“Lots of people have two items because they’ve been gifted a new power tool or have leftover stuff from a finished project, and we are really looking to establish this wonderful facility which contributes so much to the community on a number of levels.”
“The Men’s Shed provides a central gathering point for the community and there’s a great social aspect, but there is also the practical side – we will be able to help with construction, repair, art projects and important community endeavours.”
The Men’s Shed AGM will be held at 7pm on November 23 at the Margaret River Bowling Club. All nominations have been received, those interested in joining or learning more are encouraged to attend.
The Men’s Shed is open Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am – 12pm.
People wishing to donate items to the shed are encouraged to contact Terry Hutchings on 0428 909 198. Items can be collected if necessary.