Wanganui's first Men's Shed aims to open in mid-March and has scooped 36 members just through word of mouth.
Most of the members were retired tradesmen, chairman George Bowers said. He's a retired teacher himself, and has landed a lot of the administration work.
Men's Sheds are a movement. There are 40 others in New Zealand, and 600 in Australia.
From March, the Wanganui group hope to have theirs open two days a week, with volunteers there to help people make and mend items such as tools and furniture. Eventually they may be able to do pieces of work for a koha, for example, fixing up furniture for the Mission Possible Shop.
The group started in July 2010 and found the ideal shed to work in this year.
They have an 18-month lease on most of E Block at the former Wanganui polytech in Wicksteed St, now managed by the Tupoho Whanau Trust and called the Tupoho Community Complex. They can even use some of the equipment from the polytech's former trades programmes.
They were fairly well off for woodworking tools, but could still use more tools for metal work, Mr Bowers said.
Since leasing the shed, the group has had working bees on Tuesdays and Thursdays and is setting up areas for doing woodwork, metalwork and upholstery and making a small kitchen area.
Just across the carpark are staff from Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority services. To the west is the Wanganui Glass School, and Whanganui UCOL fine arts courses move to buildings on the Dublin St side this summer.
Tupoho Whanau Trust chairman Ken Mair gave the men a favourable lease rate, and they have rights of renewal.
"He's been very good to us. He was keen to see a Men's Shed as part of community activity in this campus," Mr Bowers said.
Neil Bruce visited the shed group in October and is putting together a national body for the movement.
The Wanganui venue was fantastic, Dr Bruce said. It had so much space, and even separate toilets for the men and the two women members.
"Each of these elderly gentlemen is really a bit like a Maori kaumatua.
"They're holders of knowledge, skills and life experience that they're only too happy and willing to pass on to fellow members and youth and those who find themselves disconnected by redundancy, unemployment or physical disability," he said.
For details contact George Bowers on 345 0291 or Barry Boardman on 345 1604.