A children’s playground at the Warkworth Birthing Centre is the latest place to reap the generosity of the Warkworth Men’s Shed.
On March 30, members of the volunteer group delivered a boat to the centre, which has been kitted out especially for little sailors.
It was a case of all hands on deck as the former aluminum dinghy, donated by Mike Francis of Leigh, was lifted into place.
Birthing Centre directors Nicky Snedden and Donna Trotter were on hand to take delivery.
Snedden says that while the playground has been quiet during Covid, it is normally a well-used feature of the centre. The boat replaces a starship, which was removed due to safety concerns.
“We are tremendously grateful to the Men’s Shed for all the work and aroha that they have put into this project,” she said.
The boat has been christened the Lady Glenn in honour of Glenn Hoare, who was a founding midwife at the centre. She retired in 2001 and passed away in 2020.
The boat is just one of many community projects undertaken by Men’s Shed volunteers. They recently finished 50 predator traps, benches for the Point Wells Croquet Club, seats for Leigh Primary School and a seat for the Matakana Cemetery.
“The community supports us, so we try to give back when we can,” chair Barry Thompson says.
The group meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at their workshop in the A&P Building at Warkworth Showgrounds. New members welcome.
