Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall with members of the Inverell Men’s Shed celebrating the good news of funding for a skillion extension of the Men’s Shed.
Wednesday, 30 January 2019
THEY do some heavy lifting when it comes to contributing to their community but the blokes from the Inverell Men’s Shed are about to go to work on a new building job to help them do even more, according to Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall.
Mr Marshall today announced a $6,160 grant from the NSW Community Building Partnerships Fund for the Men’s Shed to construct a skillion addition off their main shed at the Inverell Showground to better house some of their workplace equipment.
“This is another win for these blokes because it will allow them to free up some space and secure their trailer and other materials so that they have a more open work space to do the stuff they do so well for their community,” Mr Marshall said.
“They’re a keen and hard working group with about 30 really active members who are helping others as well as giving themselves a good place to meet, chat and enjoy the fellowship of other retired men.”
Inverell Community Men’s Shed President Greg Brabant said while the group appreciated every bit of grant funding they received, the group was keen to not rely on handouts and would contribute much more in labour.
“This skillion will give some more storage, which we need badly, and while it might not seem a big thing, it means a lot to us,” Mr Brabant.
The 10 metre by six metre steel and mesh skillion with gates will be built on the side of the main shed and house their trailer, timber and other materials they work with each week to undertake the jobs that keep them busy.
Mr Marshall said the Men’s Shed members took on local jobs to create an income stream that helped them do more, including private jobs like the recent flat pack cubbyhouse they made for one local woman, building outdoor benches for the council, and other repairs on tables and chairs for others.
“When they work on those private jobs they factor in the material cost and their labour rate, but they also do charity work, and they man the gates at the Inverell races, and that all helps to keep the Shed running,” Mr Marshall said.
“But they also are conscious of other local commercial concerns, so they really do look at not competing unfairly there; they are doing some heavy lifting in areas where it is needed for their community and some charities.”
Mr Brabant said other volunteer jobs undertaken this year included making a new torch for Legacy, World War One centenary crosses and even a chocolate wheel for the Tingha Progress Association.
He said the skillion construction would be undertaken by the handyman members, with some expert advice from a local builder and was hoped to be completed next month.