“After my uncle passed away,” writes Helensburgh resident Donna Sloan (pictured), “I visited family in Cessnock and found an old frame with a hand-coloured photo of my pop, Jared Hill.

“He was born in 1917 in Durham, northern England, and learned to play the trumpet as a young boy. When Pop, his three brothers, and my great-grandparents migrated to Cessnock, he kept up his trumpeting and joined a local Salvation Army band, where this photo originates.

“When I was given the frame earlier this year, it was coated in thick layers of cracked, golden paint that I knew I wouldn’t be able to remove myself. I’m so grateful to the Men’s Shed for the hours they spent restoring the frame back to as close to its original condition as possible.

“Pop continued to play the very trumpet he’s holding in the photo until his passing in 1990 and I’m so pleased that I have the opportunity to hang this piece of family history at home in better condition than I could have hoped for.”

Thank you so much to Donna Sloan for these kind words, and the chance to work on such a significant part of her heritage.

And there’s a lesson here. Underneath all that crusty gold was delicately veined timber and fragile plaster cornices. Softly, softly, we scraped and probed, sanded and rubbed, filled and polished. Timber glowed as it drank up oil, the plaster rewarding us with each whorl revealed.

Are you like this frame? Or perhaps someone you know, hiding beneath life’s troubles, evident in a sad face, a bent back, or a harsh reply. We can all help get those yucky layers off, a little at a time, and help the real person come out. Come to the Men’s Shed and see what we can do together.

Visit Helensburgh Men’s Shed, 199A Parkes St, open Mon-Wed 9am to 3pm. 0478 892 485 Website: helensburghmensshed.org.au