Keith Men's Shed renovate bench amid new home excitement
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KEITH and District Men's Shed have unveiled a renovated bench – and could have a permanent base by the end of November.
The Men's Shed have revamped a bench in Keith's Reidhaven Square, originally built by community organisation the Balloch Bench Trust.
Shed member Robert McWilliam said: "The bench is one of the first community projects we have done, rather than projects for other organisations or schools.
"There was a big squad of us who did the work on it.
"The various trades we have at the men's shed were put to very good use."
Set up over seven years ago, the Keith and District Men's Shed already has a loyal following in the community, with around 50 members and 20 attending each Wednesday meeting.
However, the group has struggled to find a permanent home workshop in the area.
November could be a huge month for the Shed, though, as they expect to sign a lease for a new home at the old changing rooms at Seafield Park.
Planning permission for turning the changing rooms into a woodworking workshop, with a polytunnel and storage container, was granted in 2019.
The new base will not just be a workshop, however.
Plans for the premises detail spaces for other community activities, including cooking lessons.
Mr McWilliam said: "The plan is to develop a lot of community resources and activities.
"We will focus on raising money once we get our shed up and running.
"We have so much machinery ready to go, sitting in members' workshops and sheds, waiting for a home.
"Once we have the lease we are off and running, we are seven years down the line already."
Floorplans for the development include a garden and seating area, a hobbies room, vegetable patches, a kitchen and lounge and a computer room.
All going well, the new base could see many more projects completed to the standard of the Reidhaven Square bench.
The Balloch Bench Trust was set up to teach young people practical skills, including metalworking, woodworking and welding.
Led by engineer-by-trade Paul Radtke, the Trust installed the bench in the late 1980s but by 2022 it was due a refurbishment.
Mr Radtke came back to the bench during its unveiling on October 25 to admire the work of the shedders.
In a Facebook post after the event, he said: "If I smoked a pipe it would have been knocked clean out of my mouth, so to speak.
"The high standard of workmanship shown on completing this task is not only a credit to the men but a credit to Keith itself.
"Some people will not understand, but the craftsmen amongst us will understand the tricky angles that had to be worked out to fit this all together, the woodwork, metalwork and paint work couldn't have been done to a higher standard.
"The bench is not only practical, but it is aesthetically pleasing to the local environment."
New member of Keith and District Men's Shed David Rough said he was very proud of the final result of the bench renovation project.
He said: "They have made a really good job of the bench.
"There is a lot more to do, though, because there are so many little things around the town that need looked after today.
"I think we have got another one in the square which we will look at, which was the original Keith Cancer Link bench."
