$15k grant for Masterton Men's Shed

A substantial grant will help develop a new meeting area at Henley Men's Shed for special meetings, health talks and other sessions.

Wairarapa Building Society has given the grant of $15,000 through its charitable community trust fund.

Society chief executive Kim McCabe said they hadn't been able to assist the Men's Shed with funds previously, but felt the extension was worthy of support.

"We are sympathetic to their aims ... it's good to put the money into something tangible rather than just operational costs," he said.

Between 100 and 120 men attend the centre at Henley Lake weekly, building things - including friendships. Trust chairman John Bush said the money would go a long way towards developing a lounge room in which to train and relax.

They are planning on building two new areas - the lounge area tagged onto the eastern end of the building and a workshop on the south-west end.

"When you get 120 blokes, all with different needs, you need a special place set aside where they can go. We need to keep the place functional ... We will run training and health programmes and other interesting sessions in the room," he said. "It could be a quiet zone where the men can go and relax or sit around reminiscing life growing up and the many different things they got up to." They were extremely grateful for the grant, which will boost others from Trust House, Eastern Central and donations from members and friends of the men's shed. It will cost about $35,000 to build the room, with fundraising continuing.