EVERY Wednesday morning a group of DIY theatre lovers meet at the Bendigo Theatre Company\u2019s headquarters in Golden Square.<\/p>\n
Some members call themselves a \u2018men\u2019s shed\u2019, but long-standing participant Keva Lloyd said there is more to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are basically theatre focused, whether that be building sets, building or repairing props, or maintaining our building,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are primarily focused on building sets for BTC and in relatively more recent times we\u2019ve been able to help other theatre companies or schools who require things for their shows.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group is mostly comprised of retirees looking to utilise their skills and form social connections.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur number seems to be growing which is terrific,\u201d Mr Lloyd said. \u201cTwo or three guys that come along have got metal work skills and they can weld, most of us are more wood oriented but we accept anybody who\u2019s at a loose end.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a morning tinkering on props and sets in the shed the group goes to the deli in Carpenter Street for a coffee.<\/p>\n
Mr Lloyd said he became aware of the group\u2019s real impact on his wellbeing during the COVID lockdowns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can speak for myself, I was just busting my gut to get back to the shed and I didn\u2019t care whether we had anything to do or not, just to catch up with the blokes to have a chat and have a bit of fun,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe very much support one another, if you want to call that men\u2019s health, call it men\u2019s health, it\u2019s just a vital part of enjoying and making good use of our retirement years.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next project for the group will be to build the sets for BTC\u2019s pantomime Treasure Island.<\/p>\n
The group meets every Wednesday morning from 9am to 12pm and new members are welcome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
EVERY Wednesday morning a group of DIY theatre lovers meet at the Bendigo Theatre Company\u2019s headquarters in Golden Square. Some members call themselves a \u2018men\u2019s shed\u2019, but long-standing participant Keva Lloyd said there is more to it. \u201cWe are basically theatre focused, whether that be building sets, building or repairing props, or maintaining our building,\u201d […]<\/p>\n