Letters: Support for Menz Shed and community groups

Photo/Stephen Parker

The Menz Shed has been here at 16 Te Ngae Rd for nearly four years with a lease from RLC stating two years + 2 years right of renewal (with a six month notice clause). Also included was the proviso that we ran the building as a community centre and sub-lease to other not-for-profit groups. Again we complied and Literacy NZ, Autism NZ, Jacob Willemsen Trust and St Vincent de Paul have areas here.

All of our groups are well settled here but we also find we are in an ideal spot as we have plenty of parking, easy to access via car or public transport and we support each other. Like others in this situation, we hope that RLC will reconsider and allow us to stay here as a group.

Thomas Colle states that council has offered us help to find other premises. To date we have not had any notification regarding help from RLC.

PAT HAWKE
Finance and funding manager
Rotorua Menz Shed

Speld NZ is one of the many community groups that will be displaced when the Rotorua Lakes Council's lease to the Rotorua Community Menz Shed Trust expires.

We are a not-for-profit organisation that provides information, diagnostic assessment, and one-on-one tuition to those living with dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities. The Menz Shed has sub-let a small space to us for our library of resources (two wall cupboard units) and we desperately need a new location where our Speld NZ teachers can access teaching materials to support our students (during regular office hours, Monday-Friday).

If anyone can suggest a new venue, we would love to hear from you: eo@speld.org.nz or call 0800 773 536 Ext 5.

CATHRYN BJARNESEN
SPELD NZ
Rotorua

Re Rotorua Menz Shed

What do we think?

A disgrace. This organisation does so much good for people in our community for their physical, mental health and well-being. Not to mention mentoring to the next generations.

Shame on our council again!

It would be great to see our elected council focus on supporting well established community initiatives and show respect for what works and is already proven and has measurable outcomes.

I am curious to know why no operational lease is being offered? What plan is there for this community space that we have not been consulted or notified about?

What an insult to these groups to put them under stress and disrespect the donated machinery which was given to a successful entity to enhance their operations and support people.

J R GREENE
Rotorua