Its members have worked hard to build a bright future for the group and local community.
Elermore Vale Men’s Shed waits patiently as its new home nears completion.
The group, which consists of about 50 members, has operated out of a “crammed” site off Croudace Road since 2011, but will soon move in to a brand-new shed, located just metres away.
Chairman Dave Corbett hopes the facility will be finished within six months.
“We’re getting there,” he says.
“We applied for a couple of big grants and got just enough to build that shed, with a little bit left over.
“Now we’re just waiting on the paperwork to be signed off; we’ve got the money to put the power on, then do the sewerage, but we’ll be bone dry money-wise after that I think.”
There has been no slowing down from members as they await the new shed’s completion, with the list of community projects continuing to grow.
Over the past seven years, they have helped to construct a chicken yard for South Wallsend Public School, six large school bag racks for Plattsburg High School, outdoor tables and chairs for a homeless women’s refuge, wheelchair access ramps for three homes, and a walking frame for a girl with cerebral palsy.
Members also completed seating around a sand pit and cover anchorages for Elermore Vale Public School, raised garden beds and seating around a tree at Calvary Aged Care, donated food and clothing to Katoomba after a bushfire, and repaired and restored furniture.
Secretary Gordon Steele says the shed has become a “sort of go-to” for the community.
“We’ve done a huge amount and I think we’ve made a reputation for ourselves locally,” he says.
“One of the things I like about [the shed] the most is that the blokes are volunteers – we’ve got a boilermaker, two electricians, a plumber – there are people from all sorts of trades and backgrounds, and we can do just about anything as far as that’s concerned.”
While money has been the shed’s biggest issue, members take part in a monthly barbecue at Bunnings Wallsend, host welding courses in partnership with WEA, and conduct raffles to help raise income.
The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm.
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