Narrabri Men’s Shed new recipients of Whitehaven Coal community grant

The Narrabri Men’s Shed were the grateful recipients of a Whitehaven community grant which went towards a big screen and laptop for the group.

The organisation was thankful for the grant which was worth $4222 and is looking forward to using it for major presentations, movie nights and for mental health and educational purposes.

“We filled in an application for a grant with mayor Darrell Tiemens, and it was successful,” said president Ian Schweitzer.

The community group is set up to bring local men together to find social support, and to promote a positive and healthy lifestyle.

“We would love to use the screen for educational purposes, to host community services to come and talk to the men about what aids might be available to them as they get older and so-forth,” said Men’s Shed vice president Peter Hammond.

“That’s a very important thing, and that’s what Men’s Sheds are all about.”

Together they help the community, and form a mateship around their many shared hobbies and initiatives.

“We have people come to talk and give presentations and all we’ve had in the past is a little laptop.

“Instead of having 16 members all looking at a tiny laptop, we decided to get a big screen so people can see everything from where they’re sitting.

Mayor Darrell Tiemens was an incremental part of helping the appreciative club put forward their application for the grant.

“We heard that the mayor had been instrumental in helping people put forward their applications for grants, so I just asked him and he said to just come down, and he filled out all the applications for us,” Mr Schweitzer said.

Men’s Shed welcomed Jacki Scott, manager of Community Investments and Partnerships and mayor Darrell Tiemens to their weekly morning tea and for an official presentation to thank them for generous efforts.

“Whitehaven is a proud sponsor of the Narrabri Men’s Shed and the fantastic work it does in the Narrabri community,” Jacki said.

The Whitehaven community grant was set up to help local communities and beneficiaries to build local prosperity, improve quality of life and to ensure regional towns thrive.

“At Whitehaven, we’re committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our people and our communities, and we recognise the pivotal role that organisations like the Narrabri Men’s Shed play in this,” Jacki on behalf of Whitehaven Coal said.

“The Men’s Shed offers a supportive environment for men from all walks of life to come together, participate in meaningful projects and activities, and discuss their challenges.”

Whitehaven’s sponsorship of the Narrabri Men’s Shed was part of their commitment to support initiatives that deliver tangible benefits and empower local communities.

In the 2023 financial year, they contributed $4.35 million to community causes and projects, ranging from health and education initiatives through to sport and environmental initiatives.