Kaiapoi Menz Shed - On the Move

A Brief History

The Kaiapoi men’s shed grew out of the need of an opportunity

for the local men to get together to support each other and the

Kaiapoi community after the destructive earthquakes of 2010

and 2011.

Initially the gatherings were informal and held in a members

garage and workshop - a handful of Guys with varying skillset.

However as the group grew, this could not be sustained and a

site and sponsorship was successfully pursued. The site was

provided by Suttons / Patience and Nicholson, Suttons of

Australian origins have a strong link with the Mens Shed

organisation in Australia.

In 2014 a wooden triple bay garage was donated and

transported from Cass Street in Kaiapoi to the MensShed

current location in Sutton’s Dale Street Complex.

After significant effort, both to fit out and kit the shed, and to

raise finances, by the men of the shed, the Mens Shed of

Kaiapoi was formally opened on July 15th 2014.

It was comfortable but extremely limited in size and capability

to encourage a significant increase in it’s membership, with the

primary focus being upon woodworking opportunities.

Over the next several years several modifications, expansions

and additions (including 2 containers) have been made to

increase the capability of the Kaiapoi Mens Shed, and enable a

safer working environment increased material storage, and an

addition of a metal work shop and Paint shop.

What Do We Do

All Mens Sheds are different - there is no prerequisite - its what

the members want it to be

Some sheds started as coffin clubs, there are nurseries, and one is

restoring an historic building. Some are mainly woodworking,

many have a metal workshop,

Some do electronics and in Ashburton they build 3D printers.

Some like Kaiapoi are open a couple of half days a week and

some are open every day. The shed is what the members want it to

be.

In Kaiapoi we do a lot of wood work mainly for the community.

There is scope for the members to do their own work although

many have a good workshop at home and only bring work to the

shed to have access to specialised or precision tools.

In the last three years we have:-

• built flat-pack aviaries for DoC,

• large “picnic tables” for several schools with seating all around,

• built a market stand for a country school,

• built theatre flats for the local high school,

• made the Kaiapoi daffodils,

• computer trolleys for a local school,

• grave crosses for a church cemetery and for the RSA,

• frames for the Kaiapoi food forest,

• three outdoor cat enclosures,

• raised garden beds,

• shade house,

• half size road signs for a play centre to teach the children road

safety, disability access ramps,

• a beehive,

• giant Connect-4, Jenga and Quoits,

• standard and disability access picnic tables for the council,

• coffins,

• chocolate wheel for the Battered Women’s Trust,

• refurbish beds for a local charity re-housing families that come

through the Battered Women’s Trust,

• large outdoor toy boxes for local playcentres

• shed for ride-on mower at the Croquet Club.

• teaching aids, shelves, mud kitchens, and outdoor resources for

local pre- schools, kindergartens and primary schools,

• rabbit jumps for the local bunny fanciers (elaborate),

• and more coffins ……..

Then there are the many many small repair jobs. From

refurbishing garden bench-seats 5 or 6 to date, repairing fences,

changing light bulbs, small jobs for the RSA, and the list goes on.

Each job is handled professionally with a job-sheet containing job

details and client details, and these job sheets almost fill two lever

arch files.

Over the last three years the membership has increased

significantly with a paid up membership of just over 50 and a

regular attendance of 25 to 35 at each of our 2 workshops on

Tuesday and Thursday mornings prior to the Covid epidemic

and the Unfortunate Fire on the Sutton’s Complex.

Although we currently are at reduced capacity due to Covid and

the fire - with power and facility restrictions constraining our

ability to operate normally, we do anticipate returning to normal

in the next month or so when all site facilities will have been

been repaired.

Kaiapoi Community Hub

Over the last 2 years, we have been in close communication and

indeed participation, with the Waimakariri District Council, re

an alternative venue for the Kaiapoi Mens Shed - the existing

facility despite our best efforts not being able to meet our

current and future plans. The recent fire at the Suttons complex

has now reinforced the need for for a new location as Suttons

themselves will be moving.

The Kaiapoi Mens Shed has been and continues to support the

Council in its bid to establish a new Community Hub within

Kaiapoi and the opportunity of a new home that would meet the

needs of the “Mens Shed” for the present and the future. It

would provide greater opportunities to expand our knowledge

base and to engage with the community even further. The

community could also benefit further from this significant

resource of skilled and dedicated local people.

Keith E Lawrence - Kaiapoi Mens Shed

keith3108@hotmail.com : 0274183466

Jefftaylorh2017@hotmail.com Fund Raising Lead

Moving the Kaiapoi Menz Shed to a new permanent location where we can continue to serve our locat community.