It came with the help of a $52,000 grant from the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

Patron Hilton Grugeon officially opened the new site, with mayor of Maitland Loretta Baker and local state and federal MPs, Jenny Aitchison and Meryl Swanson also present.

Attracting more than 100 men from the area to each meeting, the group previously held weekly meet ups in the local Uniting Church but had outgrown the space since the beginning of the community group in 2009.

“This new facility, which has been almost a decade in the making, allows us to further support and promote the health and wellbeing of men in our community through information, education and awareness,” Morpeth Men’s Shed Secretary, Paul Lindeman said.