Stunning handcrafted bench donated to Wicklow community hall fundraiser
Pat Cronin and members of the Avoca Men's shed present a hand crafted chair to Lar Harper of the Avoca Hall Committee, the chair will be the top prize in the Avoca raffle wihich will take place on Sunday, April 2 at the Family Fun Day. Photo: Michael Kelly
The expertly crafted bench was produced by members of the Vale of Avoca Men's Shed for a raffle in aid of the Avoca Community Hall on April 2.
The talented members of the Vale of Avoca Men’s Shed have generously donated a beautiful bench they crafted to an upcoming raffle in support of the Avoca Community Hall.
Produced within the Men’s Shed, with all cutting, sanding and varnishing undertaken by its members, it is hoped that the lure of the attractive bench will raise significant funds for the ongoing maintenance of the hall, which is a key amenity for the local community.
Speaking ahead of the April 2 raffle, Alastair Yarrow from the Avoca Men's Shed said that the members were delighted to contribute to the fundraiser and help support the work done at the hall.
“The people over at the Avoca Hall have been very good to us in the past five or six years that we’ve been at our premises and they provide such a great space for the community and all their activities,” he said.
“They’ve received a great response to the fundraiser from the community, who have donated so many things to their raffle, so we told them that were more than happy to make a bench as a prize.
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“The seat is designed by one of our shed members Pat Cronin, who is on the Hall committee, and it’s an amazing piece of work. Pat is very modest, and would never admit it, but he’s probably one of the top ten joiners in Ireland.
"The bench is very functional and is probably valued at over €1,000 – with the timber, time and skill that has gone into it.
“We made a couple of similar ones for Avondale last year, who asked us if we would make two to go in the park. They were so impressed with them that they have them in the hall above where the cafeteria is.”
The Avoca Men’s Shed have gone from strength to strength over past few years, with 23 members gathering at their premises on a regular basis. Originally from Aldermaston in the UK and now living in Conary, Alastair said that he has been blown away by the camaraderie and local pride on show there.
“The shed here has quite long history,” Alastair said. “We’ve been going for about 10 years or so and we’re really looking to get the word out there that anyone can come and join us.
“It’s all about the social experience and giving back to the community. It’s a great meeting place for people. A lot of our members love practical, hands-on projects, but you don’t have to do the practical things, you can just sit and talk if you want.
“I’m originally from Thames Valley in the UK and what I find fascinating about being an outsider, is the stories. A lot of the shed members are people who worked in trades and a lot of them worked in the mines here. So there’s an incredible history of camaraderie and events in the mines, and lots of local stories.
“It’s a great place to learn about all aspects of Avoca’s rich history and heritage.”
For more information on the Avoca Men’s Shed contact Secretary Fergus O'Regan at 086 286 2843 or Chairman Pat Cronin at 087 232 8528
