After months in the making, the BEST Community Shed is opening their Otho Street opportunity shop and welfare centre this Saturday, February 11 at 9am at 70 Otho Street.
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The project is run by volunteers, Work for the Dole participants, long-term unemployed and residents with compromised ability.
BEST social programs co-ordinator Danny Middleton said the 100 per cent of the profits from sale of the mountains of clothing, items and furniture generously donated by the community will funnel back to Inverell charities, not-for-profit groups and causes, all to support the district.
Danny said another form of welfare was offering those who volunteered or took part in the project, a chance to to find friendships and support, and to give back.
“They feel that they’re participating in their community, they’re benefiting their community, and they’re getting pride in that,” he said.
His father Ken Middleton was on the ground from the start, and said he and other retired or unemployed people, some formerly volunteers elsewhere, were eager to put their hand to something.
“(My wife) Mary suggested Danny would need a retail outlet, so she said, why not combine the two and get a big shop for clothing and furniture, and bric-a-brac?” he said.
He wrote a proposal to BEST Employment, which already had a team of BEST Shed volunteers rehabilitating furniture for sale to raise money for Inverell. BEST approved the idea, and the two concepts were married.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, Senator Wacka Williams and Inverell mayor Paul Harmon will be present for the official opening. Ongoing regular BEST Community Shed opening hours are 9am-3pm weekdays and Saturdays 9am-12pm.