History

The MenzShed concept is now an international movement after the first MenzShed was started in Sydney, Australia, and is now well established in Europe, North America and New Zealand, though the use of a ‘z’ in MenzShed is uniquely Kiwi! The movement’s primary goal is to provide a venue where men of a certain age can gather and use, share or develop, their skills, be it in woodwork, metalwork, or other handicraft. Such an opportunity for older members to gather has been found beneficial to mental and long-term health, as members find purpose in later life, enjoy shared company, and develop new skills while contributing to their community’s well-being.

The first attempts to create a MenzShed in Golden Bay date back to 2010. But it was not until Ron Eckman made his shed available in 2019, having been Secretary to the parent New Zealand MenzShed Ltd organisation, and the Tapawera MenzShed, that dreams started to become reality, attracting a solid core of enthusiastic members.

In 2020 those founder members started to gather once a week in Roger’s spacious shed, and as word got out, work requests started to come in, including planters and benches for TDC, and predator-trap boxes for the Ramika Project.

As life started to return to normal after Covid, a well-attended founding AGM was held in November 2021, at which a committee was established to develop a proper and permanent MenzShed in Golden Bay. With the help and guidance of New Zealand MenzShed Ltd, a constitution was drawn up and agreed as a founding document; and Mohua MenzShed was registered as an Incorporated Society. With the committee formed under the capable Chairmanship of Dave Myall, an application for Charitable Status was applied for, and duly granted.

At this first AGM the scope and ambitions for Mohua MenzShed were discussed. But first – suitable, dedicated, permanent premises needed to be secured. Dave Myall, as founding Chair, established a solid foundation for Golden Bay’s growing MenzShed membership, on which a sound, long-term future could be built. In April 2024 Dave stepped down and Gordon Stevenson of Upper Tākaka stepped up as Chair, ready to take Mohua MenzShed on to the next level.

The Shed

The hunt was now on for some suitable, long-term premises! Initially, TDC offered an unused section of land on the Golden Bay A&P showgrounds. But as ideas were developed, it was realised that the cost of construction and connection to services would be prohibitively expensive, and this option was dropped in early 2024. In the meantime, a member made his shed available to members, temporarily. Then, in early 2024 another member offered larger, and more suitable premises for Mohua MenzShed for as long as it might be needed. By April 2024 this shed, in Central Tākaka, became the new, temporary, home for Mohua MenzShed. Several new options for a permanent, dedicated building continue to be suggested; more on that in due course.

Golden Bay is now well on its way to having its own, dedicated, permanent MenzShed, and it is hoped that by the end of 2024, these will have been found, made suitable, and be available for MenzShed projects.

Watch this space!

The Members

The current membership is made up of a group of men, and one woman, from around Golden Bay. Without a decent shed to work out of, membership has been restricted to about a dozen members. But now, with the establishment of a proper working environment in what is known amongst members as Shed #70, the membership can, at last, be expanded, and those interested in joining are encouraged to get in touch and join this fun, healthy and worthwhile group; whether to develop old or new skills, have access to equipment you may not have at home, or just to sit down and share a coffee once a week and chew the fat.

The Community

The Mohua MenzShed has quickly become well-established within the Golden Bay community, with some great support from individuals, businesses, and organisations. This has manifested itself not only in the interest shown but in the donation of equipment, grants, time and material.

To date, most of the work done by the Mohua MenzShed has been projects requested by different parts of the community; whether it was planters for the closed access road by the GB High School for TDC, picnic tables for TDC, a bird hide for Forest & Bird, predator trap boxes for the Ramika Project and Project DeVine, or repairing the seat at Clifton Historical Cemetery, amongst others.