Date: 18 June 2015

A family from Bathurst have donated a Men’s Shed to Whiddon’s Kelso aged care home. Whiddon Kelso, formerly known as Ilumba Gardens, now has a Jim’s Shed, thanks to the legacy of the late Jim Nisbet.

According to his family, Jim loved to potter around in his shed at home and was forever tinkering and fixing something.

‘He was a real Mr Fix-it,’ nieces Pam Andersen and Pat Taylor recalled fondly.

Their mum, Alison Taylor, has lived at Whiddon Kelso for nearly 10 years. Jim, her brother, lived at the care home for nearly two years.

The two sisters have memories of their Uncle Jim making his own furniture and mending watches and radios. When Jim moved into Whiddon Kelso, he left his tools, shed and workspace behind and very much missed having this space.

Knowing how much the workspace and shed meant to him, Pat and Pam have generously donated a freestanding garden shed and a number of Jim’s and their dad’s old tools to the Kelso aged care home, leaving a legacy and creating a wonderful space for current and future residents to enjoy.

The sisters see Jim’s Shed as a bit of a man cave- somewhere the blokes feel they belong, where they can have a chat and mend things.

‘We saw that a Men’s Shed was something the Kelso home didn’t have. There are lovely outdoor areas and plenty of space, but nothing that is just for the men,’ Pam said.

‘So we spoke to Nicole (Kelso’s Director Care Services) and, using some of the money that Jim left us, we bought a shed and are looking forward to seeing it once it’s finished- it’s going to have workbenches, tools, seats and even a mini fridge.’

Nicole is delighted with the addition to the aged care home, saying it’s a wonderful donation and something that will continue to give for many years to come.

‘Men’s Sheds are a fantastic community initiative and we are delighted to be able to have our own on-site version, fittingly named in memory of Jim, for residents to enjoy,’ she said.

‘Jim’s shed isn’t just a place for the blokes to enjoy, it’s situated in a beautiful garden area with a gazebo and overlooks our new care wing and café.’

‘We are hoping that the area will be a bit of a community hub, a place where families can visit and grandkids can see what granddad is working on.’

Whiddon Kelso would like to thank the Andersen and Taylor families for their kind and generous donation, along with the many families and staff of Whiddon Kelso who have also made donations to Jim’s Shed.

 

This story was published in the Western Times on 11/06/2015.