Sevenoaks Retirement Village's reindeer and Santa sleigh delights

Men's Group, and helpers, with their festive creations. Photo / David Haxton

Two homemade reindeer and a Santa sleigh have appeared on a lawn of a Paraparaumu retirement village.

The festive creations have been created at Sevenoaks Retirement Village by the Men's Group which comprises about 15 men who are in residential aged care.

Helping and supervising the project, which has taken most of the year, has been diversional therapist Paul Sainty and a dedicated group of four volunteers.

The work hasn't been done in a cold shed outside but in the warm lifestyle and leisure activities room.

It involved using an overhead projector to put an image onto plywood before cutting it out, sanding it, various coats of paint, and drilling holes for about 500 solar lights which had a length of about 38 metres.

A closeup of the Men's Group festive creations. Photo / David Haxton

It had been an enjoyable project which had seen utilisation of skills, comradeship, a purpose as well as a talking point in the village.

"The men have been quite excited to come along to Men's Group," Paul said.

"It has been a great discussion and great socialisation for them.

"We meet every Monday, for a few hours in the afternoon, and we get into a worthwhile project that everyone is going to see.

"I think they've done a remarkable job with the disabilities they have.

"Everyone did what they could and it has been our biggest project."

Lit up at night. Photo / Supplied

The group has been operating for a number of years and completed "a huge amount of projects".

Some of the previous projects included coffee table restoration, miniature model village, rat traps, bird feeders, tool caddies, notice boards and so on.

Kāpiti Retirement Trust chief executive Wendy Huston said with the aged care sector dominated by female staff, it was vital that the past interests of male residents were acknowledged and catered for.

"While they may no longer be able to potter in their sheds, Paul has brought the workshop into the residential aged care environment.

"With the assistance of his team of volunteers, the residents once again enjoy planning, sanding, painting and telling stories of the past while making a valuable contribution to their community through completion of their projects.

"The group is all about empowering the men to do what they are able, rather than focus on lost skills, and in an environment they can enjoy."