Great Support from Bunnings Stoke

15 November 2024

Great support for Golden Bay’s Mohua MenzShed by Bunnings in Stoke with a magnificent donation of great items with which to kick start our tool chest. Many thanks indeed Bunnings Warehouse Nelson. And I believe they have persuaded PPG to donate the paint we need to redecorate the interior. We have also had many more great offers of support from Golden Bay businesses to get the MenzShed up and running – watch this space!

Thank you, Golden Bay Property Services

5 October 2024

Many thanks indeed to Anthony and Fiona of Golden Bay Property Services for the amazing donation of giving the grubby old Scout Den a good wash, ready for painting and its next incarnation as Mohua MenzShed, a facility to serve and be enjoyed by our community for many years to come. Magnificent job and much appreciated.

MenzShed has a home!!

8 September 2024

Mohua MenzShed has at last secured its own, permanent home. Rumours have been circulating for a while, but the Committee and Members are delighted to confirm the Scout Den on Park Avenue has been acquired by Mohua MenzShed. Members are looking forward to moving in and renovating this great building.

Some history on the building. In 1869 Charles Nicoll of Clifton donated land on which the Clifton community could build a library, one of New Zealand’s first public libraries. Known as the Clifton Institute, it was built at the Clifton crossroads, its old position marked by an excellent historical storyboard. Opening its doors in 1870 it quickly became used by other groups for meetings, as well as a source of books. Such groups included the Clifton Horticultural Society and, in 1881, the newly formed Citizens Band started practice in this multi-purpose building.

In time use of the building declined and in the 1950s it became dangerous and was threatened with demolition. Takaka Scouts were then looking for a building of their own and, after paying £30, secured permission to save what remained of this once grand old building, demolishing it and using the salvaged timbers to build the Scout Den on Park Avenue. The Den is a larger building with a different roof pitch, and the salvaged timber is sadly not evident, other than possibly in the form of the internal wall panelling. It is a pity the portico could not be saved (possibly a future replication project?).

The good news is that the old Clifton Institute, which has been used by so many Golden Bay citizens, societies, and institutions over the last 150-plus years, has now again been re-purposed! What an amazing building, and we are very proud to be the new custodians, hopefully for many years to come.

With the acquisition of these premises, we are now at last able to expand our membership and to welcome new members of all ages and skills. Or no skills at all, but just want to join in the friendly banter. Go to our website for more information and fill in the form on the Contact page.

The membership will bear the cost of refurbishment, with the support of local businesses, donations, and the time of anyone who wishes to wield a paintbrush or hammer to help! Just use the Contact form on our website to let us know if you wish to help in any way.

If you wish to donate, you can do so, anonymously if you wish, through our Give a Little page, see our website for direct access.

Thanks to our Heritage Society for the photos below.

Supporting GBCH Organic Gardens

26 July 2024

At short notice, our amazing Secretary was able to quickly gather a team of able bodied men who have spent the last two days working for the Organic Gardens at GBCH, assembling ten new iron raised vegetable beds. In the glorious weather of the last two days the team thoroughly enjoyed doing this work and hope that these beds will make things easier for the elderly gardeners who tend them. This work has been done for Koha which will come in very useful as we prepare to refurbish our own new shed. Thank you

A typical coffee morning

23 July 2024

After an hour of catching up on each other’s week (why are other people’s weeks so much more interesting?), members moved down to our shed where a range of projects were tackled.

Raffling firewood in support of Nelson Tasman Hospice

13 July 2024

Mohua MenzShed was able to raffle three cubic metres of dry, pine firewood to support Nelson Tasman Hospice. Members spent the day at Fresh Choice, accosting shoppers, particularly those who looked like they were feeling the cold!

The response was amazing, with $760 raised either in ticket sales, or through some doinations. The lucky winner was Sarah Cullen, who will now enjoy a few good fires in the months to come!

More predator traps delivered to Project DeVine

25 June 2024

Today another 40 predator traps were delivered to Project DeVine. This was a newer design than previous traps, the result of a design collaboration between Mohua MenzShed and the management of Project DeVine.

MenzShed Finds Temporary Accommodation

16 April 2024

Thanks to the generosity of a new member, Jonathan Pace of Central Tākaka, Mohua MenzShed has at last secured some temporary premises in which to gather all its tools and provide space to continue community and personal projects.

These spacious premises mean that tools and equipment scattered in different members’ premises have been gathered in one place, much to the relief of generous hosts who provided space for these over time. A proper audit and assessment of all the tools and equipment can now be done; tools deemed surplus will be sold off to raise funds.

Members are rubbing their hands with eager anticipation of the projects that will be able to be completed there in this ideal space.

MenzShed attend Sustainable Living Centre Repair Shop

12 May 2024

The MenzShedwas invited to attend a ‘Repair Shop’ at Tākaka’s Sustainable Living Centre, where members of the Golden Bay community were invited to bring any ‘cherished’, or other items, in need of repair or salvage. A mixture of home furnishings, kitchen items and several bicycles were duly produced and a pleasant afternoon was spent by members using their skills and ingenuity to give these items a new lease of life.

This proved a popular event and will in future be organised with Tasman District Council. Mohua MenzShed looks forward to being involved in future such events.

MenzShed Visit Waimea MenzShed

16 April 2024

Nine Mohua MenzShed members today visited the Waimea MenzShed in Richmond at their impressive, and extensive, premises at Richmond Showgrounds. The group was warmly welcomed and could only look on with envy at the well-established Waimea group’s facilities, which not only included several sheds, all well equipped and fulfilling different functions, but an enormous amount of donated ‘it will come in useful’ timber and other material. A thoroughly enjoyable day!

Changes to the MenzShed Committee

20 March 2024

Tonight, the Mohua MenzShed held it fourth AGM, and it was with some sadness that the founding Chairman, Dave Myall, who has done so much to establish Mohua MenzShed, decided to step back and take lesser role. Dave will be forever known as the founding father of Mohua MenzShed, proper, and it was with deep gratitude that his passing the baton was acknowledged.

The Committee elected Gordon Stevenson, of Upper Tākaka, as the new Chairman, who will be assisted by Dave Myall who remains as the Immediate Past Chairman. Gordon will be bringing a new energy and drive to the Mohua MenzShed, as the group becomes more firmly established.

MenzShed Stand at 2024 Golden Bay A&P Show

20 January 2024

For the first time Mohua MenzShed took a stand at this popular community event, an event attracting visitors from far and wide, many coming over the hill for the event. In addition to raising awareness about the MenzShed, it was also an opportunity to hold out our hat and raise funds, which was aided by holding a raffle for an amazing mobile chook house, won by Laurie!

The interest and generosity of those who visited the stand and chatted with those there made the day very worthwhile. We’ll be back next year!

TDC Support Mohua MenzShed with Community Grant

27 September 2023

Tasman District Council have generously supported Mohua MenzShed with a $4,000 Community Support Grant to be used to assist with the costs of designing and getting approval for a MenzShed building design.

Land Allocated for New MenzShed

March 2022

Tasman District Council have allocate land adjoining the Golden Bay A&P grounds on which to build a new, purpose built shed; subject to A&P and Rec Park committee approval.

Inaugural Founding AGM

21 November 2021

First Mhohua MenzShed AGM held to adopt members and form founding committee. Dave Myall took on the role of Chair and the challenge of establishing Golden Bay’s menzShed.