IN THE INDUSTRIAL streets of Wynnum, surrounded by car dealers and mechanics, sits a workshop full of tools and timber toys.
The workshop is home to Mud Flat Toys, a group of volunteers who gather every Wednesday to produce quality wooden toys to be donated to underprivileged families.
The initiative, originally known as Toy Factory, was started in 1996 by Graham Schmith and Fred Cash and is carried on today by coordinator Wieber Vlasveld and a diverse crew of dedicated craftspeople.
Mr Vlasveld, a cabinetmaker by trade, first got involved with the group in 2008 after seeing a photo in the local newspaper.
“Me being a cabinetmaker, I’ve always worked with wood,” he said.
“I was actually doing it while I was still at work.
“I’d get an RDO, and I’d ask for a Wednesday RDO. Nobody wanted Wednesday, and I’ve been here ever since.”
Every Wednesday, Mr Vlasveld is joined by about 10 fellow volunteers with varying backgrounds, including electricians, carpenters, and military personnel.
The group spend all year constructing hundreds of toys, using donated materials like timber and paint, ranging from trains, planes and automobiles to pull-along caterpillars and wooden dogs.
The 300-400 toys constructed each year are donated to organisations including Silky Oaks and the Salvation Army to be dispersed among children in need, particularly around Christmas time.
Toys are also made available for purchase by the public to support the operations of the group.
“That’s what it’s really all about, helping people out,” Mr Vlasveld said.
“A lot of toys today are all plastic, but people know a wooden toy will last a long time.”
Fellow volunteer Mark Tonkin added.
“Particularly the satisfaction of knowing what you’re making and where it’s going.”
With the support of Career Employment Australia and Rotary, the group provides a creative outlet for attendees who also appreciate the camaraderie of a coffee and a chat while they work.
“You’re not compelled to be here every Wednesday, but what happens is you go every week because you start to enjoy it,” Mr Tonkin said.
Mud Flat Toys is looking for new members, as well as donations of supplies like timber and paint.
The group is open to people of all ages and abilities and there is no membership fee involved.
For details, call coordinator Wieber Vlasveld on 0428 404 541 or visit 12 Thorne St, Wynnum on Wednesdays between 8.30am and 3pm.
