It was the most unusual request that Bayside Men's Shed volunteer Fred Poole had ever heard - build a music wall for local school children.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School at Arncliffe came up with the idea of a music wall - an outdoor activity space for school students to experiment with instruments of all kinds to make sounds and music.
The school's new music wall includes a frying pan, an alarm, a xylophone wind chimes, bowls and kitchen pots and pans.
Fred Poole with St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School Principal Debra Heckenberg. Picture: Chris Lane
Fred, 84, a retired electroplater, took about three weeks at the Bayside Men's Shed at Bestic Street, Kyeemagh to build the music wall.
"I've had some experience with metal work but not woodwork," he said.
"But since I've been at the Men's Shed I've learned about woodwork from the other volunteers and I've taught them metal work. That's the idea of a Men's Shed. It's an exchange of ideas."
Fred said it took quite a few weeks to source the material for the music wall.
"I went to the Salvos to see what could be used on the wall," he said. "I bought an alarm bell on Facebook market - that's my favourite.
"I couldn't find a xylophone so I built my own. It's not the most musical xylophone I've heard."
His wife Judy also helped, donating her old biscuit tin and fry pan.
"We raided the cupboard," she said.
Installed at the school over the school holidays, the music wall has struck the right note with the children.
The result has created a colourful cacophony as the school students conduct their own musical experiments.
Fred added, "What may not be music to me can be music to children."
The Bayside Men's Shed had previously built a street library for the school which has proved popular.
The next project for the Fred and the members of Bayside Men's Shed to do for the school will be to build a sensory wall for the students.
St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School principal, Debra Heckenberg said many of the children at the school are living in high rise units and the music wall gives them an opportunity to do an outdoor activity while learning new skills.
"We believe the kids need the chance to express themselves and make songs and music and have fun while they do it," she said.
"They may not remember the specifics of maths equations or science units but they remember the positive experiences of school and the fun."
