Taffy Francis, left, with fellow chapter author Bob Antram and Menzshed trustee Anne Perry at last week’s launch.
At 90, David Francis – Taffy to all who meet him – is the oldest contributor to Te Awamutu’s newest book.
He is one of 10 members of the Te Awamutu Menzshed whose stories are recounted in Sheddies, compiled by Richard Cato and launched last week.
Cato, the club’s president, helped Taffy put the words together to tell the story of a young man from Wrexham who came to New Zealand in late 1961 and would eventually start a family and work in New Plymouth then farm in Urenui, Hinuera and Arohena.
He tells how for his job in Hinuera the potential employer could not understand his accent – and asked him to write a letter, but “I could only write the first line and the last as I wasn’t very good at writing”.
There were also challenges ahead – at Arohena after a heart attack he suffered a blood clot which eventually cost him a leg.
There were also friends to be made – neighbour at the time Richard Nichols took over the management of the farm – and later became a fellow “Sheddie”.
The treasure trove of Sheddies’ stories was celebrated in the Te Awamutu Bowling Club by about 30 guests last week after an introduction from Malcom
Perano – who tells readers in his chapter in the book of his association with the Menzshed – and “I would be lost without it”.
The book launch was attended by Takanaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger, Waipā deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk, Te Awamutu Business Chamber chief executive Shane Walsh, district councillor Lou Brown and community board member Jill Taylor.
The 60-page soft covered book carries a forward penned by former mayor Jim Mylchreest who applauded the work of menzsheds throughout the country.
“From a personal point of view I regret that the Te Awamutu Menzshed was not in operation sooner as I know my father would have thoroughly enjoyed becoming a member,” he wrote.
The News has regularly followed the Repair Shop style work of the Menzshed, but it was the social and health side of the organisation which was to the fore last week.
Malcolm Perano in particular stressed the importance of the social interaction which made Menzshed so relevant to its members.
