BenchSpace is a community woodworking space located in our Central Park Apartments at the bottom of Brooklyn Hill. BenchSpace seeks to break down barriers for all people to learn the creative art of working with wood.

 

We recently sat down for a kōrero with BenchSpace Chair, Martin White and Te Toi Mahana tenant and woodworking enthusiast Paul Holmes.

 

Kia ora kōrua, thanks for inviting me along today. What is BenchSpace and how did it get started?

 

Martin: BenchSpace started about three or four years ago. There were a group of people who recognised a community need and desire to access the knowledge, skills and space needed to do woodworking.  They formed a charity, got a little bit of initial funding and managed to get this space at Central Park Apartments.  

 

I got involved about a year and a half ago and we’ve gradually

been building up the equipment, volunteers and all the behind-

the-scenes stuff to make it all work. I’d say we’re about 80% of

the way to being a fully-fledged organisation ready

to launch.

 

Paul: I came to their first open day a couple of years ago with a

friend of mine, and I thought this looks like something I would like to get involved with and learn.  

I’d been to other places, and they said, no we can’t have a disabled person here. But BenchSpace treated me like a person, not disabled.  

 

They really opened up to me and they said you’ve got good talents.  I started coming along to all the working bees and I really enjoyed it. And then from there, I started to use my superpowers…  

Pictured: Some of the tools available to use at BenchSpace.

 

Superpowers?  

 

Paul: Yes, sometimes I can get them free stuff, free coffee and brand-new countersink bits.  

Martin: Yeah, Paul is a connected guy. He’s got, he’s got connections, and he knows how to get things. Gradually we’re building up a library of courses and classes.  John teaches a violin making course, which is a weekly slot. And then we’ve got a range of shorter courses, such as a 1/2-day spoon carving course. We’re trying out different formats and types of projects to see what works and what people want to do.

 

What do you enjoy most about BenchSpace?  

 

Paul: I can challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone and do new things. I had to push myself to come along at first and do the classes. I came along and did the open day, and I was proud of myself because normally I don’t. Normally I don’t like too many people. It gets too crowded.  At BenchSpace I feel like I’m home. If I wasn’t doing this, I’d be sitting at home, doing nothing.

 

What is the favourite thing you’ve made at BenchSpace?

 

Paul: The toy box. It’s a present for my niece because she turned three a few weeks ago. And that’s her Christmas present and birthday present.

 

What’s on the Horizon for BenchSpace?  

 

Martin: Well, I think we’re going to change modes in the next year, from a kind of set up and getting going mode into fully up and running mode - probably in the next 6 to 12 months depending on how things go.

 

We’re still keeping it fairly small at the moment. The workshop is open for general use Tuesday mornings and Saturday afternoons, and we already have a handful of people coming in at those times. There is a mixture of volunteers, Te Toi Mahana tenants and other woodworkers who use the space.  If we could have seven or eight people in here, 6-7 times a week That would be a pretty good result for us within the next year or so.  

 

Paul: One day I want to run a class and teach my talents to others. That’s what I want to do one day.