The Clarks Beach and Waiau Pa Menzshed ethos is centred on providing a safe and inclusive community space for men to socialise, share skills, and work on practical projects, which sustains or enhances their mental and physical well-being.
David Medricky was asked by the Clarks Beach Waiau Pa Community & Business Association if he would be willing to start a local Menzshed around June 2024. The idea of it was for men to have a place to meet up and have a chat and a coffee and, if they were interested and able, to get involved in doing projects in our local community sometimes for a donation to the Menzshed. This was basically to cover the costs of any materials that did need to be purchased to do their work. There was also some agreed price work such as making a large quantity of rat traps to go out into the community to get rid of some unwanted pests.
The shed began as a three-sided cowshed in Saddleton Road which was kindly offered by David and Kirsty Powell to use for the Menzshed. The men got stuck in and together they turned the cowshed into a very useable workshop with work benches all along one wall. A centre pit in the floor was covered over to make walkable floor space. Some of the men created a room for men to be able to sit and have a chat over coffee. Recent additions have been a separate space for welding and a storage shed.
It was discovered that a few men that were keen to come along did have some health issues and weren’t able to do a lot physically but it became apparent there was a need out there for a place that men could go for a chat, take an interest in what was being made and/or worked on and was good for mental health. This has become an important aspect of having the Menzshed.
A successful Open Day was held on 29 October to give the opportunity for interested people and supporters to come and have a look at what has been created in just over 17 months. There was a board of photos (photos kindly contributed by Steve Fearon) showing the cowshed before work started and progressing through the work of turning the building into a fully operational Menzshed with a lot of very generous donations of hand tools, electric tools, machinery, hardware, nails, screws, bolts, timber, plywood, roofing materials, structural steel, work benches, vices, cramps, electrical and plumbing goods and fencing material. There were many days spent organising trailers to pick up donated goods all over Franklin and then sorting it all out.
There have been many hours put into creating the Menzshed and I think they can all be very proud of what has been achieved there.
The contact person for any inquiries is David Medricky, Ph 0274892382. Menzshed is currently open every Wednesday from 10am.
