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(l-r) Wendy Smith, Wendy Jones, Jeremy Moss and Allan Woods from Maclean Men’s Shed are pictured with some of the 10 merry-go-round horses that will soon replace the horses on the Yamba Lions Club’s merry-go-round. Image: Lynne Mowbray

Men’s shed is 10, women celebrate, too

(l-r) Wendy Smith, Wendy Jones, Jeremy Moss and Allan Woods from Maclean Men’s Shed are pictured with some of the 10 merry-go-round horses that will soon replace the horses on the Yamba Lions Club’s merry-go-round. Image: Lynne Mowbray
(l-r) Wendy Smith, Wendy Jones, Jeremy Moss and Allan Woods from Maclean Men’s Shed are pictured with some of the 10 merry-go-round horses that will soon replace the horses on the Yamba Lions Club’s merry-go-round. Image: Lynne Mowbray
  The Clarence River u3a (Cru3a) Men’s Shed at Townsend celebrates its 10th birthday this Saturday and all are welcome to show their support by coming along to the car boot market in the morning. The men’s shed was the brainchild of CRu3a member Andrew Khan, says the shed’s Allan Woods. “We got a steering committee together in January 2006 and by May we were ready to go, once we found premises. “Bill Burns on Romiaka Island came to the party – we had a look and said, ‘yeah that’ll do us’.” However, the idyllic location on the banks of Romiaka Channel was eventually too small. “It was a great location, but with growing numbers turning up it was getting dangerous – 25-30 men in a space only big enough for eight to 10,” Allan says. Cru3a successfully applied for a $68,000 state government Community Building Partnership grant and Clarence Valley Council came to the party by providing the land and $40,000 towards the shed’s construction. “But as the money had run out before completing the job, we finished it off ourselves and enclosed the kitchen and office areas,” Allan says. He says, apart from being a place to indulge a person’s desire to work with tools and be craftily creative, the space provides a place for “mateship and meeting new people”. “A lot of people come to the area and don’t know anyone,” says Allan. “They come to the shed and make new friendships.” It’s not just for men; however, women do lead-lighting on Wednesdays and woodwork on Fridays. Allan is one of several mentors passing on his skills and knowledge to the women. Everyone is welcome to come and have a look through the shed this Saturday morning September 17, pick up a bargain or two at the car boot market and join in the 10th birthday celebrations of the Cru3a Men’s Shed at Jubilee Street, Townsend.