Mackley offered to donate the timber when they heard about the great work Men in Sheds does to tackle wellbeing in retirees, helping to reduce loneliness and combat social isolation by bringing people together to make, repair and repurpose at their community workshop.
Mackley Contracts Manager, Mike Clegg said: “We’re proud to be involved in the refurbishment of Worthing Pier. Donating the old boardwalk, no longer fit for purpose, was the perfect way to honour its heritage, promote the value of recycling and support local wellbeing initiatives. The wood not only gives Men in Sheds a useful material to work with, but it also provides something that is uniquely linked to the heritage of the town that will carry meaning through its life”
The Mackley lorry carrying the wood was met by several members of the Mackley team, a representative from Adur and Worthing Councils and Councillor Dom Ford, Worthing's cabinet member for communities, culture and leisure. They were welcomed by Robin Chapman, manager of Worthing Men in Sheds, and several of the ‘shedders’ who regularly meet at the workshop to work together on projects.
Robin Chapman, Manager, said: “Men in Sheds was set up to provide a safe environment for people to keep active mentally and physically. As a voluntary organisation, we rely on support to keep it going. This delivery provides us with lots of material that we can use to achieve our aims of creating craft pieces that we can sell at fairs. We are largely self-sufficient, so we need to generate funds in order to keep the group going”.
Following a tour, there was a chance to view some before / after pieces of the pier that had been planed back to expose the beautiful red hue of the wood. There was also an opportunity to see how the group re-use wood to make oiled coasters, hand-carved pens and wood-turned bowls. The items are used to fundraise, supporting both themselves and to help other charities and communities locally.
Cllr Dominic Ford said: “It is fantastic to see the practical use to which the wood from the pier is benefitting the community through Men in Sheds”
This is a critical time for the retirees group, who have been given notice to leave their current premises at Northbrook College because of site redevelopment. The group are searching for a new premises and reaching out to anyone who may be able to help them with this.
Shaun Cooper, Mackley’s Project Manager for pier restoration, said: “Supporting Men in Sheds was important to the whole team. Worthing is our home turf and we have been involved with the pier for many years, covering refurbishment projects and maintenance work, but also the emergency repair works in December 2024. It’s great to see how a collaboration like this can bring benefit to so many people. I hope they find new premises and are able to continue the good work.”
The initiatives reflect Mackley’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, reuse, and supporting the communities where they work.
