Neyland Men’s shed opens its doors

4 years of planning and fund raising have gone in to setting up the shed which will be used as a community space for men and women to connect, converse and create.

Mayor of Neyland Councillor William McGarvie cut the ribbon to officially mark the opening and said: “It’s great to have opened this shed. It is another really good facility for the people of Neyland.

“It has been brought about by a lot of hard work from many individuals and I am sure it is going to be well used.”

Before the opening there was a short talk by Robert Visintainer, Project Manager of the Men's Shed Cymru Association in the Church Community Hall.

Robert described the sheds as ‘brilliant’ and explained how the scheme had taken off in Australia and in Ireland.

The shed in Neyland is the 65th in Wales and Robert added it was a great way to network and make friends.

Graham Passmore was behind the idea of the shed coming to Neyland having been to Australia where he helped feed the homeless at a men’s shed.

He said: “It’s fantastic, it’s been nearly four years of hard work and struggle with getting planning consent, funding but you don’t realise until you start doing something how something like this is needed.

“Finding out about the sheds in the first place in Australia, it was obviously something that was meant to happen.”

A number of tools have already been donated to the shed and Graham hopes that members will help restore them to working order before putting them to good use.

Graham also stated that if they get enough members in Neyland he can hand over the reins before starting up another similar shed in Milford Haven.

Once the ribbon was cut there was a short tour of the Portacabin followed by refreshments in the Hall.

Anyone wishing to join can fill in a membership form and pay a fee of £10 for use of the shed for a year.

Members will also be given a key to the shed and can use it whenever they need it. There will also be a cost of £1 every time you use it.