Hi Leanne here.

Well, I feel our news this week is full of creativity and arty goodness. Which is pretty lovely. I am always so inspired when we have new things and creative things on the cards …

Kalimna and I had our first day back together onsite on Friday … it was so very nice to catch up in real life and start thinking about getting going again. And now we’ve both got lists on lists of things to do!

In the next couple of weeks we will be touching base with all our groups to discuss the path forward for each … but feel free to call us or email us too if your group has a plan and/or is feeling impatient … it’s the squeaky wheels that get attention and all (especially in the chaos of once again rebuilding and reimagining everything).

In the meantime we have two things that are definitely happening:

1. Join us for our very casual Playtime in the Garden on Wednesday from 10am … and a BBQ sausage in bread with Jill at 12pm. She’s also upped her barista skills in the last months, and we’ll be firing up the Friends of Baucau coffee machine … and seeing how that goes!

2. Then … on Friday we’re offering another outdoor opportunity to catch up. Join Katrina for Gardening Group from 10am and Arty Gardening from 10.30am (we’ll be decorating tin cans and planting up seeds and seedlings 🌱 this week). Followed by Morning Tea on the Corner with Kalimna from 11.3am.

See you soon.

We’re looking forward to holding our Christmas 🎄 makers market this year. Save the date, Saturday 27 November - you’re guaranteed to feel great 😊 when you have your Christmas shopping done ✔️ before the start of December. And … it’s just lovely to support local makers and micro-businesses … especially after this tough year!

Speaking of which, if you are a local maker and you’d like a stall you can book one here.

Remember our community building blocks? Well they are ready for their street debut.

We’ve made a little (fake) grassy bench for them, and added a lick of paint here and there.

They’ll be out on the corner from this weekend.

This year we are again super pleased to receive funding from the Department of Education and Training to deliver a Children’s Week neighbourhood activity … and here’s a sneak peak at one of eight playstations that will be out on the street as part our efforts to promote creative and imaginative play and create opportunities for children to play by themselves or with others as they choose.

How cute are all these little snails? Lee made them from polymer clay and shells donated by Shirley

Take a stroll past ACC and the Wingrove Street shops to check out our snail world … and the other seven playstations we’ve created as well - from Wednesday!

And what about these pot plants with appendages? Gorgeous.

We’re looking forward to recommencing programming at ACC and seeing you all again in the coming weeks.

Neighbourhood houses as ‘community facilities’ under the State Government roadmap can restart outdoor activities when we reach 70%.

In line with the roadmap anyone who wishes to use our facilities and/or join in our programs will need to be fully vaccinated. You’ll be able to do this by:

• linking your vaccination certificate to the Services Victoria check in app

• downloading your certificate into your online wallet, or

• printing your certificate in hard copy.

If you find the technology overwhelming did you know you can ring Medicare and they’ll send you a hard copy? Maria across the road told me yesterday this is what she did …

From next week we’ll be running Playtime in the Garden on Wednesdays from 10am with a BBQ at 12pm. And on Fridays we’ll be running Community Gardening activities from 10am, followed by Morning Tea on the Corner at 11.30am.

See you soon!