For the last week we have been working hard to get ready for our AGM, coming up on Monday 25 October. If you would like to attend please email us here and we’ll send you the zoom invitation.

Whilst it has been quite a lot of work to get everything together (and I think we are nearly done, hooray!), it has also been really lovely to revisit all the things we did in the 2020-21 financial year.

Here are seven pictures that start to tell the story.

Despite lockdowns we ran eight classes of our Women in the Shed program - thanks Maylei and Jen for your expert tuition and Richmond Neighbourhood Learning Centre for loaning us ACFE hours to make it more financially accessible for participants. Women in the Shed has really been a wonderful program to build confidence and self-esteem, alongside building practical skills and knowledge.

And we started new programs, such as Louisa’s Drawing in the Shed classes on a Saturday. They’ve been solidly booked all year! Thanks Louisa for so generously sharing your talents with our community. It is really lovely to see locals sharing their skills in the neighbourhood.

Speaking of sharing, remember our Honestly project? Looking back I think we are really lucky to have a week by week documented account of the first 8 months of the pandemic. And as a community I am sure you will all agree that it was so interesting to read how others were travelling as the world turned on its head … and also comforting to acknowledge the connections - in the end despite our unique circumstances we were all experiencing similar feelings.

We were only able to run one community event for the year … but our Christmas Makers Market was a success and we were super pleased to partner with Ivanhoe Rotary (who ran our sausage sizzle for the first time) and also help local makers sell their wares to the community - I think I did 80% of my Christmas shopping at the market! … hopefully we’ll be able to run it again this year.

Moving things outside has proven itself the way to go in the last year … and we’ve loved seeing regulars and welcoming new people to our Friday morning tea on the corner each week. Here’s a photo of Yarra Mayor Gabrielle de Vietri having a chat with locals at one of our morning teas.

We also set up our podcasting studio The Cupboard this year. When we can get things going again inside I am sure it will prove a wonderful community resource … did you know you book in to use it when we reopen at very reasonable rates? Just give us a call to discuss. This photo is of our lovely friends from the Community Bank on Queens Parade who helped fund this project (we really are so lucky to have this model of banking in our community).

Throughout 2020-21 our playgroups resumed whenever we could open. We make our spaces available four mornings a week for families to come together and make friends through playgroups … which we know can be a lifesaver when you are immersed in the lovely but draining world of nurturing a young family! This is a photo of Maimi who runs two fabulous sessions of Japanese playgroup each week here at ACC.

If you are part of a local sports club or other community not-for-profit group in Yarra, did you know that you can tap into Council’s ongoing community training courses?

The next one is all about social media. It is on Tuesday 14 September, from 6-8.30pm. You can register here.

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Building Community with Social Media

Social media and online activities are now part of the way we communicate at work and play. For community organisations they provide a great opportunity to reduce workload and create efficient communication, the challenge however, is to decide which platform will have the greatest impact to support goals.

This interactive session will provide a basic overview of the most popular social media platforms used in Australia and insights on the best way they can be used effectively. This session will be most beneficial to organisations new to promoting their organisations through social media channels. Topics include:

• The pros and cons of some social media and online platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)

• Understanding target audience / selecting platforms

• Having creative ideas for content

• Communicating the right messages

• Preparing a social media plan

Date: Tuesday 14 September 2021

Time: 6.00pm – 8.30pm (2.5 hours)

Method: Online 

Register: HERE.

A nice picture of Elly (who is part of the Community Development - Capacity Building team at Yarra) from when she came along to our morning tea on the corner.

Other upcoming workshops include:

• Governance Training for Community Groups - 7 October 

• Evaluating Project and Programs - 9 November

If you are interested in learning more about the history of our neighbourhood … and also like a stroll, perhaps you’d like to print out or collect our first History Walk.

This walk starts on the south side of Alphington Station and takes you on a tour of the Old Alphington Village. Thanks to Anne and the 3078 History Group for all the background work that has gone into this flyer, and thanks also to Lee for the graphic design and Kalimna for the photos.

We’re planning to record an accompanying podcast at some stage to sit along side this walk. We’ll let you know when this is active.

If you have a printer at home you can print a copy here. If you’d like to collect a printed copy you’ll find some out the front in the little brochure holder on the side of our seed library.

Did you know there are more than 500 neighbourhood houses around Victoria? And in response to the pandemic they are all doing different things, their own special mix of community engagement and support, responding directly to the needs of their local neighbourhood … utilising the skills within their staff and community, and the historical strengths of their own houses. Some are building up food relief efforts, some are keeping in touch through phone calls, some are building online communications, some are focussing on place-based neighbourhood activities and projects and some are running online activities.

And … the great thing about activities online is that anyone can join in from anywhere …

So today here’s just a few ideas of some online activities running from other houses across Victoria for the next week or two that might tickle your fancy:

Arrabri Community House

2-30 September

Find out more and book in here

Chelsea Heights Community Centre

Friday 3 September at 10am

A FREE teaser 30 min session with our ever popular fitness instructor Shelley. Who says working out needs to be boring? Step away from the treadmill! Get fit with these fun ways to exercise with Shelley our personal trainer. Equipment no worries, use something from home. Cans for dumbbells! Book here.

Belvedere Community Centre

Monday 6 September, 3-4pm

Come and join us online with the whole family for a fun afternoon of art and craft.

A challenge will be set and you will be emailed with what things you will need to have collected prior to the event (think things from around the house, nature, etc)

We can't wait for a fun afternoon with other families as we craft and laugh together.

Book here

Iramoo Community Centre

Tuesday 7 September, 10am

Learn about creating an Edible Garden with Craig Castree (from Edible Gardens)! Join Craig who is a qualified horticulturist with over 45 years experience, as he shares his passion in edible gardening. Also learn how to use your existing garden to grow your own food. This is a FREE Workshop.

Please email admin@iramoocc.com.au to book in and receive your ZOOM link.

Wednesday 8 September, 10am

Join Madhubani for an online art class where she demonstrates how to create your own watercoloured flowers. This is a FREE Workshop.

To book in and get your ZOOM LINK please email admin@iramoocc.com.au.

belvedere community centre

Saturday 18 September, 6-7pm
Why should kids have all the fun?? Calling all adults...... Come and join us for a fun social catchup on Zoom and enjoy some Trivia Questions. There will be prizes to be won! Book here.

Make your own adventure in Darebin Parklands!

Lee has made a beautiful black and white map of the Parklands with all the walking trails and main features on it …and on the back of the map there is a place to write 12 things.

Take your kids on a trek through the wilds of our amazing collective backyard and make your own Parklands trail. Mark all the nesting boxes, find all the old fruit trees, highlight your favourite places to play - make some notes and share the adventure with another local family …

Or perhaps you could write a 12 part story … Or devise a treasure hunt … With a little creative thinking the world is your oyster!

Collect your copy from the bin outside our front door, grab a pen, some textas or pencils from home, and head off on your next family walk to make your own adventure in our lovely neighbourhood.