Men's Sheds have been growing in popularity across the country, with the organisations keeping blokes busy and out of their wives’ hair.
In the Selwyn district, the Lincoln Men’s Shed is proving a hit - for both sexes.
Long-time member Alan King admits his wife is also a fan of what it has to offer.
“Ah, sometimes she tells me: ‘Well its time you went to the shed.'," he laughs.
"I think most wives appreciate the fact that most guys need to get out of the house for a while too."
Its chairman, Alistair Smithies, says the space inside the old shed wasn't sufficient to meet the guys' needs.
“We had a little tearoom squeezed into one corner, our engineering workshop into another corner, and it was... yeah, it was just a bit chaotic."
Thanks to the assistance of shed construction company Wide Span, Lincoln Men’s Shed has now doubled its footprint, creating an extra workshop area, a meeting room, plus a nice new kitchen, office space and toilet.
The Selwyn shed prides itself in trying to be conservation conscious, using salvaged and re-purposed materials where possible, which also helps to keep construction costs down.
“We’ll always try to get at least two guys working on a job, so you’ve got a skilled person and another one who is able and keen to learn.” Smithies says.
Members of the Lincoln Men’s Shed include retired builders, farmers, firemen, electricians and mechanical engineers, which provides them with a wide range of skills and building expertise.
- By John Spurdle
Public Interest Journalism Fund
