Men’s Shed appeals to lift furniture from amenity site

Men’s Shed appeals to lift furniture from amenity site

15 June 2016

THE long term future of an innovative project set up in Downpatrick to maintain the health and wellbeing of men across East Down is at risk, those involved in the initiative have warned.

The Men’s Shed project is based at the Cloonagh Road where its members renovate and recycle old furniture to give it a new lease of life. The furniture is then sold to help pay for the project’s operating costs.

People donate furniture to the Men’s Shed but those behind the project — known as shedders — are keen for Newry, Mourne and Down Council to help guarantee its long term future by allowing them to recycle old furniture which is dumped at Downpatrick’s civic amenity site which is next door to their base.

Council officials have passed the request to their legal team and suggested that in order for furniture dumped at the amenity site to be used by the Men’s Shed, they would have to go through a formal process of seeking expressions of interest from other groups interested in taking some of the old furniture.

It’s an issue shedders Barry McManus and Joe McVeigh say they have no issue with, however, they are concerned that the formal process could take some time to complete, explaining the current furniture they have in storage will last for about six months.

“Men’s Sheds are places where men meet to share experiences and perspectives, whilst encouraging each other to maintain their health and wellbeing,” said Barry. “None of our furniture comes from the amenity site and we rely heavily on public donations. 

“We are sometimes able to divert people away from the amenity site to our base, but we would love to secure permission to go in there and get a lot more so we can continue with our work and, more importantly, meet our overheads.”

Barry explained the Men’s Shed gives furniture a new lease of life and prevents it from going to landfill.

“Preventing old furniture from being dumped is a no brainer as far as we are concerned. The items we upscale and sell keeps us in business and ensures we do not have to seek financial support from funders,” he continued.

“We hope the local council will help us by looking favourably upon our request. The more furniture that can be diverted from landfill and given a new lease of life the better, as far as we are concerned.

Joe, who is the Men’s Shed treasurer, said the group is keen to be able to continue to pay its own way and remain self-sufficient, explaining for this to happen it needs more furniture to recycle.

“Some of the items people dump at Cloonagh Road are unbelievable. They are in such good condition. Diverting waste from landfill reduces the amount of tax the council has to pay through taxation so we can make a positive contribution to reducing local authority spend,” he added.

Councillor Naomi Bailie, who is working alongside council officials to try and secure access for the Men’s Shed for the furniture dumped at the Cloonagh Road, paid tribute to the work its members do.

“The Downpatrick project plays a very important role and I am keen to help it secure more furniture. There is a process the local council has to follow and I understand that officials are concerned about allowing the public access to the civic amenity site on health and safety grounds. The Men’s Shed insist if they are given access just one of the members would remove the old furniture,” she continued.

“The agreement the shedders require could take some time to put in place but I do not want them to suffer in the meantime. They do a really terrific job but if they do not get the amount of furniture they require it threatens their future existence. This is a group which is self-sufficient and wishes to remain so. I fully understand the council’s position on this but maybe we need to find a way forward by thinking outside the box.”

Anyone interested in donating old furniture to the Men’s Shed should visit its Cloonagh Road premises — next door to the civic amenity site — or contact Barry McManus on 07742 139590.