Wellington’s City Menzshed looks to expand

Wellington’s City Menzshed looks to expand, thanks to Medibank Community Fund grant

A Wellington organisation that cares for the city’s older and often isolated men hopes to be able to expand its operating hours, thanks to a $13,500 Medibank Community Fund grant.

City Menzshed provides its members with companionship and the opportunity to revive old skills and learn new ones. One of the main activities is repairing and making toys and furniture for child care centres and community organisations, using the large, fully equipped workshop at their Te Aro premises.

Members also encourage each other to eat healthily and be more physically active.

The premises currently operate for three hours a day, three days a week, and secretary John Shrapnell says they plan to use the Medibank Community Fund grant to open on Saturday mornings to meet increasing demand.

“We’re very grateful to the Medibank Community Fund for the grant. It will make a real difference to our plans.”

Wellington’s City Menzshed is one of five New Zealand projects to receive grants totalling nearly $100,000 from the Medibank Community Fund in 2015. For the first time, Kiwis were able to vote for the initiative they believed would be of most benefit to their community from five finalists shortlisted by Medibank Health Solutions.

Medibank New Zealand General Manager Andrea Pettett says the MCF grants programme is an important investment in community health, supporting local initiatives that encourage healthy eating, physical activity or community connectedness.

“We received a record number of grant applications and it’s clear that organisations all over New Zealand are keen to improve both the mental and physical wellbeing of their communities.”

She says all the projects are making important contributions to the health and wellbeing of local communities and responding to the particular needs of specific groups.

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