Featherston to get Men's Shed

Trust House has offered to donate an existing bottle store building for the Men's Shed in Featherston once the new supermarket is built.

Featherston is next in line for a Men's Shed and it's hoped young men will get involved.

Traditionally, it is a social gathering point for older men where they build things - often for community projects.

Masterton already has one and Greytown's one is in the works.

At a South Wairarapa District Council meeting on Wednesday, plans for the workshop were tabled.

Mayor Adrienne Staples said the potential location on the main street of Featherston would allow young people to get involved.

"The older men in our community will be making things and doing things in an area where we get young men hanging around doing nothing. If we can connect the two and actually get some of these lads making things then they might become more interested in making things than breaking things."

A group of 15 men have already formed as an incorporated body, said Colin Olds, chairman of the Featherston Men's Shed and Featherston ward councillor.

"We are certainly quite excited.

"I love the idea of what we are going to do in terms of the youth problems."

Trust House has offered to donate the existing bottle store building for the Men's Shed once the new supermarket is built.

The building would then be moved on to council land, said Mrs Staples.

"It's really quite a coup for us," she said.

"It's very generous of Trust House."

Martinborough ward councillor Julie Riddell said Garry Thomas, one of the original Men's Shed participants, had already suggested the Featherston chapter could take up mentoring some of the older youth in the school holidays.

"It's a very positive outcome for Featherston," she said.

"I'm right behind it."

The shed won't cost ratepayers anything and is subject to public consultation.