A collaboration between several community organisations had made a safe space for Ocean Grove Primary School students to gather at lunchtime and recess.
The school, along with Ocean Grove Men’s Shed and local opportunity shops, transformed an old shipping container into a wellbeing space that was officially opened on Wednesday December 13.
OGPS mental health and wellbeing leader Andy McNeilly said the container originally arrived at the school several years ago for the same purpose, but eventually couldn’t be used because there were issues with the students not being in sight at all times.
It sat unoccupied, but that’s where John Lowrie and Bill came in from the men’s shed to transform it back to being usable again.
“It will be open at recess and lunchtime and kids can just come and find a place to sit and be with other kids,” Mr McNeilly said.
“Maybe they can make a friend to play a game with. It won’t be a noisy place, so it’ll be a quiet and inviting place for kids.”
School chaplain Rhonda Stubbings said John and Bill’s expertise is evident in the final product.
“They are such friendly people who are so creative and they are just really good to work with and they just get stuff done,” she said.
“They source materials at a great price and it came in well under our budget that we had for it.”
The project was also made possible with donations from local op-shops The Dove in Ocean Grove and All Saints in Barwon Heads.
