May 6, 2020
Cherbourg Men’s Shed has received a $13,000 grant from the Federal Government’s Stronger Communities Program.
Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien visited the men’s shed on Thursday to announce the funding, which will enable the group to buy a mobile timber saw mill.
The bandsaw mill will allow community members to collect timber from the local area and building sites that would otherwise go to waste, and turn it into creative products ranging from chopping boards to picnic tables.
“The Cherbourg Men’s Shed plays a valuable role in the local community, providing a social outlet for men to get together and have a yarn, and find support while also picking up new hobbies or skills,” Mr O’Brien said.
“This grant for a mobile mill will enable them to source their own timber rather than purchasing it, which reduces waste and will also reduce the costs of this volunteer-run organisation.”
Cherbourg Men’s Shed director Wayne Farrell thanked Mr O’Brien for the assistance.
“This will make a big difference to the Shed because we’ll be able to get timber like ironbark more easily for projects like making picnic benches for community areas, and it gives our younger members a way to get involved,” Mr Farrell said.
“They can come down to the Men’s Shed and talk about how they’re going, mental health, what’s happening at home, and have experiences that they may not otherwise come across, and they know they have somewhere to go when things are tough.”
The grant was provided through Round 7 of the Stronger Communities Program.
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Mr O’Brien also visited the Murgon Dairy Museum where he congratulated the volunteers on receiving a $3000 Volunteers Grant to buy gardening equipment to help maintain their grounds and the Murgon RSL Sub-Branch Drop-In centre where work has started on a new barbecue area for which the Federal Government is contributing $16,165.
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