Pupils' DIY skills get help shaping up

YOU CAN DO IT: Lakeview School pupil Penny Doull, 7, gets a bit of support from Henley Men's Shed supervisor John Harvey as she cuts out the shape of an animal ready for painting.

If Lakeview School children are anything to go by the art of DIY definitely isn't dying.

For the past two Friday mornings, a group of children from the school have headed to the Henley Men's Shed where they have helped make shapes of letters and animals which the children paint and decorate to help brighten up their school.

Henley Mens Shed co-ordinator John Bush said they had been asked to produce the letters and animal shapes themselves as the children had voiced they wanted to brighten up the school.

"We thought it would be a good idea for them to come down and learn to do it themselves with our help," he said. "Then everyone can be involved. The mums and dads can help them screw them onto the wall at school."

Two children are supervised by one member of the group to jig saw out each shape on plywood, sand paper it and then the children help to paint each shape.

The men involved were finding it extremely enjoyable, Mr Bush said.

"It's pretty exciting for the blokes here to see the kids doing things themselves. A lot of them wouldn't get the opportunity to do it at home. It's great seeing them enjoying themselves."

Another bonus was watching another generation fall in love with making things, he said.

"Sadly, the art of DIY is dying."

But children spoken to by the Times-Age think DIY is an awesome pastime.

Brushing sawdust from her face, Joy Smith, 8, said cutting out shapes was a blast.

"It's so much fun. I'm going to make lots of animals."

As for school chum Penny Doull, 7, it was also a heap of fun to be involved. She was being supervised and encouraged by John Harvey with the jig saw.

"You have such a lot of fun. We even get to cut them out ourselves," she said.