There is disappointment for the Nenagh Men’s Shed after they failed to secure funding to get a permanent home.
The group had hoped that they would receive an allocation as part of the Community Recognition Fund which was announced in recent weeks and recognises the contribution being made by communities in welcoming people from Ukraine and other countries.
However, Mick White says that is was over-prescribed and they are back to the drawing board when it comes to generating the €30,000 needed to put towards an identified site in the town.
He told Tipp Today that they are looking into taking out a loan but if that doesn’t work the Station House at the train station is their second option.
“If we are unsuccessful with borrowing the €30,000 necessary this looks like an alternative, Alan Kelly was going to look into that as well for us. It would be a long term lease, CIE Property Management the people we would be dealing with there so it would be a long term lease, and if we could get a long term lease we could access LEADER funding then again, to refurbish the bulging and I looked at it and I told the lads look I think it would be perfect for our needs, but it would be our second choice if we could get the site that would be our first choice.”
Mick says it is important they find a permanent home to bring back members who have drifted from the group.
He says the group is a lifeline for many who are struggling, and spoke about one member who hasn’t been back because there is not enough space to carry out projects.
“He has been involved in the Shed for years and I called to him to update him because he hasn’t come back since the pandemic and he said he was very bad there from Christmas up until a few weeks ago he wasn’t leaving the house, he was going home in the evening he as just staying in the house, he just wasn’t good mentally at all. Like I had invited him to come back several times any time I ran into to him I would say we are meeting Thursday night and he hasn’t come back yet, he is mad to do a project but we just aren’t in a position to do a project yet.”
