THE Bellingen Men’s Shed and Bellingen High School have a special relationship that has grown since the Men’s Shed relocated to a purpose-built building on the school grounds in 2014.

So, when the School successfully applied for a grant to install outdoor seating for students, it was natural it should approach the Men’s Shed to be a partner in the project.

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The team at the Men’s Shed collaborated with the School to draw up plans for a sturdy and practical design that would withstand the rigours of both the weather and use by the students.

The design they came up with follows the lines of many picnic tables with angled legs and attached bench seats that fit four people on each side.

Men’s Shed spokesman Michael Bleakley explains, “We used highly durable Blackbutt timber and sourced it from Rose Gum Timbers Pty Ltd, a local Bellingen mill with a strong environmental focus, and they gave us a good deal too.

“It has a natural golden brown colour but can be stained to bring out other tones.”

When everyone was happy with the first setting, the Men’s Shed team started on the second and then the third.

In April, numbers four and five were installed in the school grounds and News Of The Area was invited into the Shed for a photo.

The original Bellingen Men’s Shed started in a workshop in a local backyard, but in 2014 with assistance from Rotary, the Commonwealth Bank and Camp Creative, the new Men’s Shed came to life.

“There are currently 25 members,” says Michael, “but before Covid we had 50 – and they’re not all men, we have several women members too.”

The team works on a variety of projects, often repairs and requests that people bring in or repurposing odd pieces, and at times students come for work experience.

At the moment, they’re installing shelves in the new Bellingen eatery, Charley’s Restaurant, but Michael stresses, “We don’t accept work that takes business away from others, but focus on construction, repair and renovation projects for members of the public that are within the wide skillset of our members.”

By Susan KONTIC