Green Head Men’s Shed raises $79,000 in Containers for Change partnership, giving back in community grants

Green Head Men’s Shed is giving back to local community groups through its involvement with the Containers for Change scheme, raising almost $79,000 since 2020. With a membership of 46, a dedicated group of about eight men carry out weekly collections at locations across the Shire of Coorow and Eneabba, collecting and sorting waste to redeem at a Containers for Change facility. To date, Green Head Men’s Shed has raised $78,901. The Men’s Shed identify eligible containers and sort them by material type. ECO Exchange Recycling collects the containers on a regular basis and deposits funds directly into the Men’s Shed account. The funds raised from Containers for Change goes towards reimbursing volunteers for fuel and supporting the Men’s Shed, but the most significant share goes to the community through a grant application process. About $50,000 of the 10¢ container refunds have already been injected into local community groups, including primary schools, bowls clubs, sporting clubs, fire brigades, community garden centres and the Green Head Leeman St John Ambulance. Green Head Men’s Shed treasurer Rex Heal said the group had been using the donation scheme since it was established and their member Ken Trenowden had always been an eager recycler. “Our man Kenny has always been into recycling, he’s established a lot of pick-up points and he’s the main man that drives it all,” he said. Other than containers, the group recycle materials including scrap metals and batteries. Mr Heal said the group were “pretty chuffed” knowing they have injected funds back into the community and had noticed the roadside was cleaner. “It’s a fairly big area the boys clean up,” he said. The grant program takes place twice a year in April and October.