A group of Craigieburn blokes who like to tinker with timber can now purchase $3800 worth of new tools.
Members of the Northern Men’s Shed were among a group of successful recipients to share in $400,000 of grants from the National Men’s Shed Development Program.
Northern Men’s Shed secretary Ross Pollard says the group will buy a wood lathe to create bevelled edges on tables and a range of handheld and power tools. They’ll also chip in about $400 themselves to cover the full cost of their purchases.
The 18-member group, now operating out of a member’s double garage in Second Avenue, Craigieburn, has been busily fundraising to set up a new shed.
The men are awaiting confirmation from Hume council on a new site. So far, their kitty is sitting on about $18,000. The new shed is expected to cost about $60,000 to set up. “Because we’re retired blokes, we’re willing to give up our Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings to hold fundraising barbecues at Bunnings,” Mr Pollard said.
He said they had been eyeing off a small section of DS Aitken Reserve in Craigieburn that was abandoned by the netball club almost 10 years ago. “We’re still waiting on council approval to do that. They haven’t knocked us back, so that’s the good news.”
Applications for the next round of Men’s Shed funding are being accepted until May 13.
