A retired local carpenter has put hours of work into making wooden toys for disadvantaged local children this Christmas.
Bernard Williams said he just likes helping people and this year has donated a heap of handmade wooden pieces to the Barrier Truth Christmas Appeal of local kids this Christmas.
Bernard retired in 2014, “I was Council’s head man for 44 years. I started off on the Council as a carpenter and then as time went on, they wanted someone up in the office to look after all the building, so I was promoted. September 2014, they had a reshuffle and they asked me if I wanted to go and I said yes and have been retired since,” he said. “But people don’t let me retire,” he laughed.
When Bernard first made each of these wooden toys or sets, he said it took a little while because he had to make the templates.
“But now I’ve got all the templates hanging around the shed, I just grab a template and cut it out, it only takes to make a table and chairs maybe an hour and a half, two hours.”
Bernard decided to donate these toys to the Barrier Truth Christmas Appeal this year after a few organisations couldn’t take them.
“I made these for the Toy Run but they declined because they couldn’t do it because of COVID, and I took them to a couple of other organisations, but they didn’t want them,” he said.
“It’ll be very nice, these are made for children whose parents are doing it tough and can’t afford things,” said Bernard. “I’ve built a dolls house, children’s tables and chairs, blackboard and dolls beds. I hope they enjoy them this Christmas.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t painted them, I’m not a good painter so I don’t paint them. But the kids can paint them the colours they want.
Bernard said if anyone wants anything, they can give him a call on 0419 609 629. “I’ve got a book in the shed of wooden things and they can pick out what they want, and I can make them.”
If anyone would like to donate to the Barrier Truth Christmas Appeal for local children in need, toys can be dropped under the Christmas Tree during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm) up until midday Monday December 13, when the toys will be collected.
