Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I visited the Portland, Cudal and Blayney men's sheds. They have each received funding under the 2017 community volunteer grants program. The Portland Men's Shed are receiving $1,500, which will go towards the reimbursement of fuel costs. They are receiving an additional $1,600 through the National Shed Development Program and will use this for a tour across the region called the Shed Crawl. Members will have the opportunity to network and share fundraising ideas, techniques, and projects with other men's sheds. Their first stop is Orange, later this month, with other visits planned to Lucknow, Canowindra and Katoomba. I would also like to take this opportunity to make mention of the coordinator, Norman Richardson, and some of the members: Tony Walker, who is the secretary and a great community champion who has done some wonderful work with the Vietnam Veterans Association of New South Wales, Otakar Triboj, Don Sharp, Andrew Norris, Franz Kohl, Ray Woodin, Tony Lennett and Peter Hayman. During my visit, I was also able to see some of the great work they are doing, including the construction of planter boxes and the repair of a park bench for the Leura railway station. They also provided me with scones—they said they were commercially acquired scones, but they tasted great. Well done, gentlemen.

The Cudal & District Men's Shed are set to purchase a new router and table after receiving $2,500 in funding. It is going to make a big difference to the work they are doing, as it will be used to round off edges on boards and tables. They decided that this piece of equipment was necessary because the current one is 35 years old. I would like to mention the members of the Cudal men's shed, including the coordinator, Darcy Callan, and Dave Farrel, Geoff Middleton, Craig Klaymer, Robert Smith, John Jackson, Neil Bowen and Tony Carmen. Other work that members are busy doing includes making picture frames and chairs, building tables for the Cudal Show Society and converting hospital beds into workbenches. Well done, gentlemen.

The Blayney Shire Community Men's Shed are another recipient of the 2017 volunteer grants. They have received $5,000 for a new spiral cutter, which will enable members to turn thick pieces of timber into thinner pieces that are easier to use—they will be putting that order in later this week. I would like to make special mention of the coordinator, Ian Tooke, and also to mention members Bob Webb, Wally Whitfield, Brian Griffiths, Ted Francis, John Morvell, Peter Williams, Ian Ewin, William Fennell, Phillip Parkinson, Don Bell, Bill Burdett, Peter Davies, Max Fowler, Ken Harris, Evan Hayden, Robert May, George Mehmet, Paul Mulholland, Ross Newburn and Peter Sutton. The Blayney men's shed is also keeping busy by renovating garden chairs for local residents and helping widows of returned servicemen by building model cars for their grandchildren. As you can see, Deputy Speaker, it has been a busy time for the men's sheds of the Calare electorate—and we wish them well in their future activities. (Time expired)