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8 Thursday <strong>November</strong> <strong>18</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
Community tool shed now up and running<br />
• By Fiona Ellis<br />
AIMING TO fix a community<br />
problem, Steve Jones-Poole has<br />
not just one tool at his disposal,<br />
but more than 200.<br />
He is the co-ordinator of the<br />
recently opened Shirley Tool<br />
Shed, which lends tools to the<br />
community for a yearly membership<br />
cost of $20.<br />
Jones-Poole said it was a high<br />
social-housing area, and people<br />
may not have access to affordable<br />
equipment for DIY and repair<br />
projects.<br />
“People just don’t have access<br />
to tools that they need to maintain<br />
their properties,” he said.<br />
“Someone could walk in there<br />
with nothing and walk out with<br />
everything they need to build a<br />
deck,” he said.<br />
House-cleaning equipment,<br />
such as mops and brooms, were<br />
also available to borrow, as was<br />
gardening equipment, from<br />
rakes to weed eaters.<br />
Since a jigsaw sliced through<br />
a wooden ribbon to officially<br />
open the shed two weeks ago,<br />
membership had been quietly<br />
building.<br />
“Our first hire was somebody<br />
who had a property inspection<br />
coming up. They hired the vacuum<br />
cleaner so they could clean<br />
the house, and they’ve since been<br />
back and got gardening tools and<br />
mowers and that sort of thing.”<br />
Jones-Poole said the shed was<br />
“doing exactly what we hoped”.<br />
It was also a good community<br />
connection point that would<br />
reach a new demographic,<br />
he said.<br />
“Some people won’t go and sit<br />
down at the community cafe, but<br />
they’ll come along and talk tools.”<br />
Jones-Poole was “very pleased”<br />
that the tool shed was now up<br />
and running.<br />
A Shirley Village Project community<br />
activator, the shed had<br />
been a goal of his for a few years,<br />
but time had been needed to<br />
organise the project and secure<br />
donations and equipment.<br />
“We’re working with residents<br />
to identify what’s important to<br />
them in the community and<br />
what they would like to see<br />
FIX IT: Shirley<br />
Tool Shed<br />
co-ordinator<br />
Steve Jones-<br />
Poole says the<br />
not-for-profit<br />
project is<br />
meeting a<br />
community<br />
need.<br />
PHOTOS: GEOFF<br />
SLOAN <br />
change and help and support<br />
that to happen,” he said.<br />
Located at 33 Briggs Rd, the<br />
tool shed is open on Wednesdays<br />
from 4-6pm.<br />
• To become a member, visit<br />
shirleytoolshed.myturn.com<br />
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