Some of the toys the Manawatū Woodworkers Guild created for their 23rd Pinocchio Night last week. Photo / Supplied
Some of the toys the Manawatū Woodworkers Guild created for their 23rd Pinocchio Night last week. Photo / Supplied
Santa has elves beavering away all year in numerous corners of Manawatū.
Toymakers from within the Manawatu Woodworkers Guild have once again reached their goal of producing 500 toys for the five charities of their choice. Their goal is to give lasting pleasure and comfort to children going through ahard time.
Pinocchio Night, as it is now called, has been the annual goal of the toymaking groups for the past 23 years of the guild’s 36-year existence.
All present at the well-attended night made their way around the displays of toys; stroking, playing and admiring everything from big rocking horses, to garages, cars, trucks and trains, pull-along animals, exquisitely produced puzzles, stools and colourful push-along carts to device-charging stands for older children to put together and use.
While 95 per cent of the toys were wooden, a number of characterful knitted dolls and sewn furry teddy bears somehow snuck in among them. The small teddies were asleep in little wooden beds, lying comfortably on a tiny mattress and pillow, and wrapped in knitted lambswool blankets.
Representatives of these charities - Barnardos, Across Social Services, Salvation Army, Arohanui Hospice and Manchester House – were present to receive the toys. Two from Manchester House, Ann Williamson and Bobbie Nicholls, spoke on behalf of all five services, saying they were blown away by the variety, quality, and number of the toys produced.
They recalled from previous years the looks of relief followed by delight on clients’ faces when told they could choose one or two toys for each of their children, then seeing the unique toys available. Nicholls commended the obvious care and love put into creating the toys, saying they will be given away with care and love and received in the same manner.
While most who join the guild have a special skill or project in mind they want to learn to achieve, many find that from all the presentations, mentoring and sharing between members, they acquire a range of woodcraft techniques, despite often joining with no experience at all.
Members’ expertise includes wood turning, furniture making, carving, scrollsaw work and pyrography, all of which is put to good use making practical and beautiful pieces for families and friends’ homes and contributing to their community.
Some members with turning skills make elegant wig stands for cancer survivors going through chemotherapy. Garry Sparrow, leader of this interest group, says 1160 stands have been gifted to the two services working in this area.
Over the years the guild has slowly saved up, and been supported by grants in response to their commitment to the community, to purchase machinery and tools. They have created a workshop area so lack of space or equipment need not deter anyone from finding their own inner woodie.
Anyone experiencing a stirring of interest can contact Mike Smith at mefsmith@outlook.com to find out more.
