Waihī Beach Women’s DIY is putting new funding towards tools and materials needed to help local women build practical skills – and confidence – through woodworking.

The group recently received $5000 through Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s 2026 Community Matching Fund and $1400 from the Acorn Foundation’s Waihī Beach Local Impact Fund.

Founder and tutor Helen Sanford said the funding would make a real difference to what the group could achieve.

“Woodworking is an expensive exercise and if we can purchase a wide range of tools, we can learn and achieve so much more,” she said.

The council funding will help the group purchase power tools and machinery, along with materials and consumables such as glue, screws and sandpaper. Funding will also contribute to practical costs such as printing.

The Community Matching Fund supports projects where local people contribute their own time, skills, materials or fundraising. For Waihī Beach Women’s DIY, volunteer hours contributed by Sanford and committee members form part of the group’s contribution.

The group began holding workshops earlier this year after about six months of planning and preparation. About 44 women had become part of its growing network, with sessions initially held fortnightly.

The group had recently been offered use of a community facility in Beach Rd for two days a week, providing more opportunities for women to learn and work on projects.

For Sanford, however, the idea of “building” goes beyond what can be made from timber.

“When I think of construction, I immediately think of helping women to construct a change within themselves,” she said. “That’s about building self-confidence and improving self-esteem.”

The group aims to give women the opportunity to learn by doing – from using tools and machinery to completing practical woodworking projects.