$10,000 for Yass Men’s Shed

FORMER Member for Burrinjuck and Minister in the NSW Coalition Government, Katrina Hodgkinson visited the Yass Men’s Shed recently to deliver her second donation of $10,000 on behalf of the NSW Government in a year (the previous donation having been used to purchase, install and fit out our two containers, now known as the Dara Madden Annexe).

 Katrina and her Senior Electorate Officer, Margot Shannon, arrived at 2pm and, after a short welcome from Men’s Shed president David Staines, she spoke glowingly and with great affection and concern for the late Dara Madden, who died unexpectedly on New Year’s Day.

Dara was responsible (from the Shed’s side) for securing these two very generous grants. She also mentioned Dara’s family with great affection and asked the 30 members present to remember Dara with a period of silence.

She also spoke about the influence and impact of our Shed in particular, and about men’s sheds generally doing good things for their members, and by extension for their local communities.

 This latest grant from the NSW Government will be used to purchase a good quality metal lathe and associated hardware and tools, as well as to fund the development of a significant extension to and improvement of the community garden at the Shed.

 The garden development will see the installation of a series of above ground “wicking bed” gardens primarily for the use of disabled or mobility impaired community members.

These gardens will be placed to allow good access in and between them and will also have level hard-packed pathways to facilitate wheelchair and mobility scooter access.

We are also hoping that there will be funds sufficient to build a glasshouse so that an early start to the annual vegetable production can be made.  Water for these gardens will be tank water harvested on site.

 Following the presentation, the Shed “Kitchen Krew” led by our five-star chef Richard Rowan, provided afternoon tea using the facilities of our own kitchen, namely savoury salmon wraps with salad and dill yoghurt sauce, and sweet oven-baked glazed coffee scrolls with fruit and custard and a strawberry icing.

 Perhaps there is a lot more going on at the Shed than you might think?

– By Wayne Stuart