WANGI Men's Shed is building hundreds of boxes for birds and other animals left homeless by bushfires.
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The boxes are being built from used timber formwork.
The project is also an excellent example of recycling, as the formwork is sometimes added to landfill when alternative uses can't be found for the wood.
Frank DaPozzo, of Newcastle Formwork Construction, said he was pleased to see the wood being put to such good use.
"I try to give the stuff away but sometimes there's just too much," Mr DaPozzo said.
The project began with a call from the animal rescue organisation, WIRES, on the Central Coast, looking for volunteers to build the boxes.
Bushfires have left vast numbers of birds including rosellas, owls, kookaburras and parrots, as well as bats and possums homeless.
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It prompted WIRES to make an emergency call to Wangi Men's Shed president Greg Cross.
"How many boxes do you need?" Mr Cross asked.
"Ten thousand boxes initially", was the surprising response.
WIRES didn't expect Wangi Men's Shed to fill the entire order, but it is hoping that other Men's Sheds around NSW would also contribute.
Mr Cross reckoned the Wangi Men's Shed members could come up with a couple of hundred boxes - provided they could get suitable materials.
Newcastle Formwork Construction got on board and offered to recycle some of its used concrete Formply plywood.
Mr DaPozzo said the timber was ideal for the project.
"It's been cleaned up and suits the purpose brilliantly," he said.
"Anyway, after all they have been through, the homeless birds and possums are probably willing to settle for less than five-star accommodation."
Wangi Men's Shed has thanked the donors and contributors to the project.
For more information, or to contribute to the project, contact Wangi Men's Shed member Richard Worsley at email rjworsley@bigpond.com or phone 0417 474 157.
