The Collingwood Football Club Community Foundation acknowledges the continuing connection to the land, waters and culture of the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters on which we meet, work and play, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations.
We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their leadership in working for reconciliation and respect for all.
Side by side, with our partners, we lead social AND cultural change through football.
TO FOSTER INCLUSIVE AND CONNECTED COMMUNITIES BY BUILDING PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT NURTURE BELONGING AND CONNECTION.
We are committed to leading, acting, progressing and inspiring anti-racism, cultural safety, diversity, equity and respect, empowering all, regardless of background or circumstance, to realise their full potential and ensure they have greater opportunities to feel seen, heard and respected.
Christine Holgate Chairperson
Nick Foa Board Member
Paul Hardy Board Member
Joey Borensztajn Board Member
Pauline Duncan Board Member
Nathan Goonan Board Member
Lachlan McDonald Company Secretary & EGM Finance and Goverence
MANAGEMENT
Kerrie Brewer Executive General Manager Community, Foundation & Stadia
Daniel Wells Community Ambassador
Annie Lietzau Community Programs Manager
Ben Jankovski Community Programs Support
Mardi McMillan Head of Foundation
Leon Davis Cultural Development Manager
Ben Falzon Community Programs Coordinator
Courtney Wilson Content LeadCommunity Foundation
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
INFORM THE WORK WE DO WITHIN THE CFC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THE BEHAVIOURS WE DISPLAY IN CARRYING OUT THIS WORK, AND OUR DECISION-MAKING AND ACTIONS. All our community programs and partnerships have clear objectives, measurable impact and outcomes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RIGHTS
Our programs and partnerships offer shared value and are aligned with Club outcomes to influence change.
We pay respect to and recognise all First Nations people, their traditions and culture.
We take deliberate actions to deliver safe, inclusive partnerships and programs that are community-led.
We support communities by building on their strengths rather than focusing on perceived challenges or issues. We support empowerment and engagement for all.
Our programs and partnerships are aligned and embedded with the overarching strategy of the Club.
TO BE LEADERS, ALWAYS STRIVING TO BE BETTER
We aim to drive change and be a leader in delivering programs to stamp out racism and drive truth-telling across society, leading to cultural safety and unity.
A NEST FOR ALL
TO ENSURE EVERYONE ALWAYS HAS A PLACE TO BELONG
A place to call home and feel warm, fed, safe and connected. A Nest for All aims to put its arms around those who utilise our services and participate in our programs and ensure they are always a part of the Collingwood family.
CHRISTINE HOLGATE
We spent the year narrowing our focus and creating a strategy that articulates what is important to us and why we exist, implementing guiding principles to support our decision-making and creating programs and partnerships that have measurable outcomes and impact.
We never lose sight of the fact that we exist to make a difference. Side by side with our partners we lead social and cultural change through football.
We were excited to consolidate our pillars into two – Barrawarn and A Nest for All, and streamline our programs and partners that integrate across both pillars. We have spent considerable time focusing on our purpose for both pillars to ensure that as a Club we can continue to impact and promote measurable outcomes to drive a culture of sustained philanthropy and financial support for our communities through our Community Foundation.
I would like to thank everyone who has generously supported the programs and partnerships that were integral to the success of the Community Foundation this year.
Special thanks to Joan Alexander, Peter Morris and Nicholas Sims; their significant contribution to the Community Foundation underpins our programs and ensures community impact is at the heart of everything we do.
Coles has been a significant partner of the Foundation since 2018, and their contribution to the Nest for All pillar and the people within our programs is greatly appreciated. Coles’ support goes towards those who are experiencing homelessness or disadvantage and their contribution of funds and food ensures people have access to a basic right to food.
2024 was the first year of a five-year contribution from Nike towards our Barrawarn programs. Together with the Club, their contribution towards our work in Tennant Creek and the Ngarra Jarranounith Place programs aims to build capacity and drive change in First Nations communities.
Our partnership with Project 614, especially Brendan Nottle and his team, is the bedrock of our Nest for All pillar. The Magpie Nest Café and Magpie Nest Houses are two programs we are incredibly proud of. Brendan’s tireless work allows
We never lose sight of the fact that we exist to make a difference.
the Club to work hand-in-hand with him to ensure everyone always has a place to belong. We are thankful for his years of dedication to the Magpie Nest Café, Houses and those people of Melbourne who are experiencing tough times.
Our Magpies Community Football Team and CFC Wheelchair teams epitomise our values and provide a space for everyone to feel like they belong at Collingwood. We congratulate all teams for making the Grand Final in their respective competitions.
On behalf of the Club, I would also like to thank the other members of the Community Foundation Board who work in partnership with myself and the Foundation team to bring the projects, programs and partnerships to life; Paul Hardy, Nick Foa, Pauline Duncan, Joey Borensztajn and Nathan Goonan. They all give their time and expertise without question.
It is also important to acknowledge the outstanding work of our Foundation team. 2024 has not been an easy year as they’ve navigated change and pivoted to ensure the best outcomes for the community and the Club. Similarly, members of our playing group should be commended for showing great leadership and compassion in assisting our staff to deliver the programs in the Community Foundation.
We are also lucky to have the expertise of fellow Director Jodie Sizer and past players Leon Davis and Daniel Wells in our Barrawarn programs who both provide great leadership and advisory to the Community Foundation and the Club.
2025 will be a year of growth for the Community Foundation. With a new strategy and priority on delivering tangible community impact, we will focus on ensuring our Community Foundation is sustainable with measurable outcomes.
Floreat Pica, may the Magpies and their communities prosper.
Christine Holgate Chair – CFC Foundation
As a Board and Executive we want to integrate our work in the community into everything we do, now and into the future.
Our purpose – CONNECT, WIN and GROW –speaks volumes in the Community Foundation. We want to connect with those in need, grow our support for them and their wellbeing and win by continuing to invest significantly into
our programs so the community wins. Winning is not just about game day; we want to be measured by the wins we have in community, and this is vitally important to us.
Our team have dedicated time and effort to build and implement a strategy with measurable impact and outcomes, and delivered programs tailored to the needs of the communities we support.
Through strategic partnerships and philanthropic support in our Nest for All pillar, we have supported those in our society who are often not included, providing them with basic necessities we all take for granted; food, shelter and a place to belong.
We also have welcomed considerable support in our Barrawarn pillar which allows us to build capacity and drive change by taking a leadership role and delivering programs. Our programs aim to stamp out racism and drive truth-telling across society, leading to cultural safety and unity.
The stories of resilience and personal growth from the individuals we support inspire us, and remind us of the profound difference we can make using the platform of the Collingwood Football Club.
Through our work in the Foundation, we are committed to giving back through our Barrawarn and A Nest for All programs. We are grateful for the generous support from our corporate partners Coles and Nike and our philanthropic donors. Their support enables us to bring our authentic programs to life.
I would like to thank our chair Christine Holgate and the Foundation Board for their support and dedication to ensure the community remain part of the DNA of our Club.
...we remain dedicated to listening to the needs of our community...
To the Community Foundation team, led by Kerrie Brewer but supported by our entire Executive, thank you for building a strategy that keeps the Club accountable to the community. Thank you for delivering our programs and building the connection with the community, ensuring their needs are put first.
Head of Foundation, Mardi McMillan has brought the strategy to life, ably assisted by Leon Davis, Annie Lietzau, Courtney Wilson, Ben Falzon, Ben Jankovski and Daniel Wells who work tirelessly in our communities. We are also lucky to have our player ambassadors Britt Bonnici, Jordy Allen and Bri Davey who elevate our work through the programs they deliver in the community. We thank them for their years of service to the programs in the Community
Foundation. As a Board and Executive, we are committed to increasing the resources in this team to ensure we provide greater outcomes for the community.
We truly believe we can make a difference and as a Club, we are committed to investing significantly in our Community Foundation every year. We are always learning and striving to do better and will continue to invest significantly to ensure those in most need are fed, have a safe place to live and a place to belong at Collingwood.
As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to listening to the needs of our community, amplifying voices, and creating lasting change that reflects shared values.
Side by Side, we will build a better future.
Craig ‘Ned’ Kelly Chief Executive Officer Collingwood Football Club
Built on the working class origins and struggles of the Collingwood Football Club and surrounding community, over generations, we have never forgotten our origins; providing our community a sense of hope, pride and a place to belong.
Our Nest for All program pays homage to our Club and community’s history.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO US?
A Nest for All aims to put our arms around those who we meet through our programs and supports those in our community who are experiencing homelessness, mental illness, disability, substance abuse, domestic violence and social and econmic hardship.
The Collingwood Football Club are proud to have been innovating and pioneering in this space, forging a partnership with Project 614 and Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army, Brendan Nottle to support those in our community who are most vulnerable and isolated.
OUR VISION
To ensure everyone has a place to belong. A place to call home and feel warm, fed, safe and connected.
A Nest for All aims to put its arms around those who ultilise our services and participate in our programs and ensure they are always part of the Collingwood family.
OUR NEST PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY WITH THE BASICS OF LIFE: FOOD A HOME
WHY IS A NEST FOR ALL’S VISION IMPORTANT TO US?
Because “homelessness is not a choice. Homelessness is one of the most potent examples of disadvantage in the community, and one of the most important markers of social exclusion” (Department of Human Services, 2022).
Because “The Foodbank Hunger Report 2023 revealed that 3.7 million households in Australia have run out of food in the last year” (Foodbank Hunger Report, 2023).
Because 1 in 6 (17%) of people with a disability aged 15-16 experience social isolation (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022).
Because domestic violence is the single biggest cause of homelessness in Australia, followed by mental health and sudden life changes (Mission Australia website).
Because 55% of those in the Reclink program reported experiencing homelessness, used drugs or alcohol regularly, were involved with Police or spent time in a correctional centre before joining the program (LaTrobe Reclink Report, 2023).
Through our A Nest for All pillar - our areas of focus that drive the programs strategic objectives and actions:
This foundational pillar centres on providing a roof over people’s heads and a safe place to call home by providing refuge for victims of domestic violence, those recently out of incarceration or those who are experiencing homelessness.
This pillar focuses on providing food and a sense of safety and belonging at the Magpie Nest Café, whilst also aiming to increase the wrap-around services to all who visit.
This pillar centres around ensuring everyone feels like they have a place to belong and connect, with community football teams the anchor of the connection to the Collingwood community.
Our partnership with the Collingwood Football Club Community Foundation extends beyond financial support and we are delighted to help through volunteering and fundraising initiatives, such as Major Brendan Nottle’s winter sleepout that occurred in July where we proudly matched Foundation donations across the weekend, and the support through food and hamper donations at annual events, such as the Magpie Nest Footy Finals and Christmas Day lunch
Patrick Hassett
Community and Stakeholder Engagement Manager
Corporate and Indigenous Affairs
Magpie Nest is a partnership between Collingwood and the Salvation Army (Project 614) that provides housing, meals and other wrap-around services to those Victorians who are doing it tough.
Supporting 41 houses in Melbourne, the program provides accommodation for over 120 adults and children. Half of these houses are occupied by only women and children.
COLLINGWOOD
FOOTBALL CLUB
AFLW PLAYER
As a member of the leadership group, I am incredibly proud of the work the Club’s community programs do to support those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity through the Magpie Nest Café and Housing Program. These initiatives reflect the true spirit of our Club, extending our commitment beyond the field to make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need.
...we are not just offering temporary relief but also fostering hope...
By providing connection and support, we are not just offering temporary relief but also fostering ongoing hope, individual development and support for the Magpie Nest clients and the wider community. Together, we can create a positive impact and demonstrate that football is more than just a game; it’s a way to include the unincluded, create connection and provide for those who need it most. In 2025 we look forward to volunteering more within our programs and highlighting the initiatives that go beyond what we do on the field.
Thanks for your support, and go Pies!
Over 10,000 free meals are served at the Magpie Nest Café each month. The Magpie Nest Café is operated by the Salvation Army (Project 614), with the support of the Collingwood Community Foundation, and is a first point of call for many of Melbourne’s homeless.
...comprised of volunteers and community members...
The Café’s staff are comprised of volunteers and community members who are passionate about addressing homelessness across Victoria. Staff and players of the Collingwood Football Club and Coles regularly volunteer their time at the Café
I love working with Brendan and his team, every time I go to the Café I can see the tangible impact of the work we are doing as a Club on the people who need it the most.
104,000 6,240
meals a year.
volunteer engagements in the Café.
150 300
connected to health services through the Café or the services offered through Project 614.
connected to support services through the Magpie Nest Café.
Pork and Ham donated weekly to the program.
The Collingwood Football Club is a proud participant in the Victorian Wheelchair (VWFL) and Community Wheelchair Football Leagues (CWFL). These competitions are designed to allow those currently living with a disability to play a competitive adaptive version of AFL. As one of five AFL clubs to be represented in 2024, Collingwood’s aim is to ensure players representing the Club’s wheelchair teams are living their happiest and healthiest lives possible.
One of those players, Community team Captain Troy Hawkins said, “It’s an honour and privilege to be able to pull on the black and white, and Captain the community team”.
35 players participated in the program in 2024, with both Senior Wheelchair and Community teams qualifying for their Grand Finals on Sunday, August 4. More than 550 people were in attendance to see our Community team
I feel a sense of belonging that is incredibly special. I love the place.
crowned Premiers in the CWFL, while our Senior team finished the VWFL season runner up.
Emerging leader Jack Elliott from the Senior Wheelchair team explains how the programs significance. “It’s an incredible honour to play for Collingwood, it feels like home”, Elliott said. “I feel a sense of belonging that is incredibly special. I love the place.”
It is important to acknowledge the support of Peter Rose and Salli Caruana, and the members of the Robert Rose Foundation for their decades of support to the Collingwood Football Club Wheelchair programs. The Robert Rose Foundation is named in honour of former Magpie Robert Rose, who became a quadriplegic following a car accident in 1974.
The Collingwood Football Club supports socially and economically disadvantaged people through the Collingwood Magpies Community Football Team. The Magpies compete in Reclink’s Victorian Football League, facilitating 40 participants under the guidance of coaches Shane Williams, Collingwood AFLW ViceCaptain Jordyn Allen, and former Collingwood AFL player Daniel Wells.
With weekly training sessions held at the heart and soul of Collingwood, Victoria Park, the program provides people in disadvantaged situations a support system through mentoring, football, wellbeing and the power of connection.
Being part of the Magpie Community Football team has been a really rewarding experience. It’s not just about football for me; it’s about providing a space where people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can feel valued and supported. I’ve seen firsthand how sport can give people a sense of belonging and purpose, offering them opportunities they might not have had otherwise. For me, it’s all about helping others find their confidence, build stronger connections, and believe that they have a place in this world.
Daniel Wells Community Ambassador
Collingwood Football Club have been partnering with Fasta Footy since 2023. The program targets primary school children and is open for anyone to participate regardless of skill level. 100% of the participants are from the City of Yarra with the majority living in the local high-rise buildings.
The program aims to build resilience and selfworth; increase young people’s capacity to develop positive relationships; encourage them to stay at school and contribute to their local community. This can lead to long-term community benefits and transformational change. In 2024, 66 children participated in the program over a nine-week period, assisted by a Collingwood staff member and SEDA students, combined with a special visit from our players.
The Magpie Nest Program has changed the lives of hundreds of people that have walked through the doors. Hear from Jess, who is currently a resident in the program.
When I was offered Magpie Nest Housing I was in prison at the time, and I was hesitant to accept because I thought the best thing
I feel so lucky to have this opportunity and will not waste the second chance I have been given...
for me would be to return to my family home and be there for my son. I was afraid of the unknown.
Coming into a Magpie Nest House gave me a supportive network of people who wanted to see me do well. I learnt tools from the psychologist Tess about gratitude and boundaries and making good choices.
I had so many people around me to get us (my son and I) through some tough times.
I can now say today that I love the person I have become. I feel so lucky to have this opportunity and will not waste the second chance I have been given by the program. Having a safe roof over my head was the foundation I needed to come this far.
Collingwood Football Club’s Community Foundation annual Christmas lunch is held at The Glasshouse on Christmas Day, and has been running for over 30 years. One of the biggest events in Melbourne on Christmas Day, the purpose of the lunch is to provide visitors of the Magpie Nest Café an invitation to celebrate and a place to belong on a day many spend with family and friends.
Over the course of two hours, 600 guests experience the season’s festivities of delicious food, gift-giving for children and entertainment including Christmas music and a special appearance by Collingwood players.
This wouldn’t be possible without the support of our generous partners and dedicated playing
...600 Guests experience the season’s festivities of delicious food...
group and staff who volunteer their time to ensure those in need are supported:
• The Big Group Catering Company who provide meals, staff and venue.
• Coles who donate 600 hamper bags that members of our AFL and AFLW playing group pack and hand out.
• Primo Smallgoods who donate hams for all guests.
CIRCLES WITHIN CIRCLES
Represents Indigenous and nonIndigenous communities coming together to celebrate life.
MAGPIE MOTIF
Represents the coming together of people for the love of the game.
HANDS
Depict Collingwood’s athletes reaching high.
SEMI-CIRCLES
Depicts our old people (ancestors) guiding them on their journey.
BOOMERANGS
Mimic the fast-paced, high energy movement in the game of football.
Originating from the Woi Wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations, the traditional owners of the land on which we work and play, the word Barrawarn means magpie.
Through Barrawarn, we celebrate the history and legacy of First Nations players, members, staff and fans. In telling their stories, we help raise awareness of the culture and history of First Nations people and their communities, and in doing so we aim to promote reconciliation for all Australians.
To be leaders, always striving to be better. We aim to build consistency and drive change by taking a leadership role and delivering programs to stamp out racism and drive truth-telling across society, leading to cultural safety and unity.
77 %
40 % DO BETTER REPORT
Because 77% of AFLW and 40% of AFL league wide Indigenous or multi-cultural players reported not being satisfied with how a racism incident was handled once reported (AFLPA Player Survey, 2023)
#18
Because recommendation #18 of the Do Better report recommended the Club share its processes and reflections with the AFL community and work to proactively support the concepts of antiracism and inclusion throughout the code.
Because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25 to 64 years were more likely than non-Indigenous people of the same age to have left school at Year 9 or below (Australian Bureau of Statistics).
Because Victorian Aboriginal women are 45 times more likely to experience family violence than non-Aboriginal women (Department of Health).
Through our Barrawarn pillars - our areas of focus that drive Barrawarn’s strategic objectives and actions:
Honouring the Past and Building a Better Tomorrow Industry Leadership and Change
This foundational pillar centres on acknowledging the historical significance of First Nations peoples and their contributions while striving for a more inclusive anti-racist future.
This forward-looking pillar aims to lead the sporting industry by forming partnerships, advocating for change and raising awareness to combat racism.
Cultural Safety at Collingwood; Programs, Education, and Change
This pillar focuses on fostering cultural safety and growth at Collingwood Football Club and in communities throughout Australia.
Meaningful Relationships and Partnerships
This pillar emphasises building relationships with the community to create meaningful change.
Ngarra Jarranounith Place is a residential healing and behaviour change program for Aboriginal men who use or are at risk of using family violence. The program is aimed at helping men to make positive changes in their lives through one-on-one support and group activities that focus on supporting and addressing:
• Strong spirit and strong culture
• Taking responsibility
• Healthy relationships
The program’s unique and holistic approach focuses on planning for the participant’s transition back into their community and where possible, linking men into the Men’s Healing and Behaviour Change Program
The program is aimed at helping men to make positive changes...
located across Victoria. Collingwood Community Foundation provides three houses for the men in this program.
In April, the Collingwood Football Club unveiled the Barrawarn Room at the museum in the Club’s newly redeveloped area. Created as part of the Club’s ongoing and absolute commitment to supporting First Nations players, staff and their families, the Barrawarn Room provides a dedicated safe cultural space for First Nations people at Collingwood and the community.
Collingwood President Jeff Browne commented; “The creation of this safe meeting space came about after deep listening and learning and ensures our Club continues its ongoing commitment to progressing our environment.”
Former Collingwood First Nations player and current Cultural Development Manager, Leon Davis, said he was pleased to see the Club create an environment such as the Barrawarn Room. “This is a great example of Collingwood listening to First Nations people and acting,” Davis said.
“The Barrawarn Room is a result of the work of so many people over a number of years and I want to acknowledge each of those community members for the input they had and for their role in shaping our Club.”
Key features of the room include:
• A Journey Walk acknowledging and celebrating the Club’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players – past and present – who have debuted in the AFL or AFLW competitions.
• A digital map highlighting the traditional lands of Collingwood’s First Nations people.
• A display of significant pieces of First Nations artwork connected to the Collingwood Football Club.
• A space to hold Cultural Education sessions for players, staff, key stakeholders and the community.
In November 2024, Collingwood AFL and AFLW players, staff and Board members have travelled to Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory as part of the Club’s ongoing commitment to cultural learning and community engagement.
Tennant Creek, situated 500km north of Alice Springs, lies within Collingwood’s Next Generation Academy (NGA) zone with this program focussing on fostering meaningful connection, deepening understanding and working Side by Side with the local community.
Collingwood acknowledges that this program takes place on the lands of the Warumungu people on Patta land and the Club has engaged with Traditional Owners and Elders in the local area to foster a meaningful relationship that drives positive and impactful community outcomes.
SIR DOUG NICHOLLS ROUND CELEBRATES ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS CULTURES AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL. IN 2024, SIR DOUG NICHOLLS ROUND WAS CELEBRATED IN ROUNDS 10 AND 11 OF THE AFL SEASON, AND INDIGENOUS ROUND WAS CELEBRATED IN WEEKS 9 AND 10 OF THE AFLW SEASON. THE COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB CELEBRATED THROUGH A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES.
Designed by Uncle Trevor Davis, father of former Collingwood player and the Club’s Cultural Development Manager Leon Davis, the inspiration for the SDNR guernsey design stems from a piece of art by Uncle Trevor called “Healing.”
Uncle Trevor, who is a proud Wadjuk, Ballardong, Wilman, Wongi and Noongar man, created the painting that depicts a healing process which the Club has embarked on over the past few years. The use of rain in the artwork is to represent the Club being cleansed.
Holding the jumper he designed, Uncle Trevor Davis said “I’m overwhelmed with it, when I see, I can feel it in my heart.”
Design elements and their meanings from Uncle Trevor’s art have been transferred onto the Club’s black and white striped guernsey.
Trevor’s wife, Nancy Davis explained the importance that this design has within the Club.
“It represents the whole of our First Nations people,” Nancy said.
“We really want the Club to understand that this is a journey we would like to be a part of, to see change and embrace it. Hence why Wirin is on here, the good spirit, and the representation of water, and cleansing. It’s the cleansing of a Club for a new start, we’ve had our own journey with the Club, our own struggles, but it’s a new beginning.”
...this is a journey we would like to be a part of...
The centrepiece of the guernsey represents the Collingwood Football Club. The Club is a meeting place for all people across the land to come together to share their experiences. The footprints represent the people travelling to the Club.
The figure in the centre of the jumper represents the protection spirit – protecting everyone from bad spirits is a connector between the now and the dreamtime.
Leon Davis reflected on the impact this journey had on this family. “It has been so special to see Dad’s artwork transformed into a guernsey and the story it tells is so important to the Club’s journey and continuing growth in this space. To return to country with Dad, Mum and my son over the course of this journey has been very special in this process and for our family.”
The 2024 Sir Doug Nicholls Round guernsey was worn by both AFL and AFLW teams in their respective Indigenous rounds.
GIFT EXCHANGES HOLD SIGNIFICANCE IN FIRST NATIONS CULTURE TO SHOW RESPECT AND CONNECTION TO THE RECEIVER, including their family, ancestors and community. The meaning behind each gift is personal and reflects the identity and values of its artist which has been passed down for generations. In 2024, Collingwood’s AFL and AFLW honoured the gift exchange tradition with artefacts created by Leon Davis ahead of Indigenous Round matches.
Collingwood’s AFLW side honoured the tradition during Indigenous round, gifting a mini coolamon to the Carlton Football Club
The mini coolamon is a vital tool that traditionally serves many different purposes and can be made in any size required.
“From carrying food, holding fire for smoking ceremonies, carrying water and newborns,” Davis explained.
The design on the mini coolamon tells the journey of people coming from different places to meet in one central place.
“We all come from different places, we all have different background and cultures.
To all come together and meet to play football this weekend is something very special.”
In the Pies’ Week 10 final home-and-away game against Narrm (Melbourne), a message stick was gifted.
Historically, it is given to neighbouring tribes to provide permission and safe passage through each other’s country.
...THE mini coolamon tells the journey of people coming from different places...
A message stick symbolises the responsibility of safeguarding one’s land, respecting its traditional owners and honouring the tradition of sharing it with others.
Each message stick’s design is different and is a reflection to each tribe’s area, cultural customs and protocols.
“It reflects where you’re from. Someone from Adelaide, Melbourne or the Northern Territory will be completely different to where I’m from,”
“I’m from the country while others are from the ocean, so you’ll see different animals and symbols.”
“It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is, everyone can meet here at the Collingwood Football Club. It’s a safe space for them to come, deliver and succeed,” Davis said.
The Collingwood Football Club is committed to using our position and reach to positively influence the community. As such, our partnership with Deadly Choices provides an opportunity to positively influence the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Victoria.
Deadly Choices is a preventative health program of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, aiming to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make healthy choices for themselves and their families.
Together with the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS), the Deadly Choices initiative encourages individuals to access their local Community Controlled Health Service and complete an annual ‘715 Health Check’.
715 Health Checks are a preventative health assessment to support the needs of Indigenous Australians with focus on the greatest contributors of chronic diseases within Indigenous communities, including diabetes, kidney disease, as well as vision and hearing loss.
Individuals who attend their local health service for a 715 Health Check will receive a Deadly Choices Collingwood t-shirt after their consult.
Collingwood Football Club is proud to support the Clontarf Foundation which exist to improve the education, discipline, life skills, self-esteem and employment prospects of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. They do this by running 158 Academies within 168 schools across Western Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. This academies help equip students with the skills needed to participate meaningfully in society.
Collingwood hosted the 2024 Clontarf State of Origin Series and All-Australian selection for the Clontarf Foundation. The three-day football carnival saw 500 young and upand-coming First Nations talent from across Australia descend on Victoria Park and then the AIA Centre, ready to demonstrate their skills and athleticism in a hope of winning the series or being selected in the AllAustralian team.
Congratulations to the Western Australian state team who won the carnival and to all of those selected in the All-Australian team.
The 10th edition of the annual Big Freeze clash at the ‘G again took centre stage on the Kings Birthday public holiday in June. The match between Collingwood and Melbourne helps support former Melbourne Coach Neale Daniher and Fight MND’s quest to tame ‘The Beast’ and find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease.
The Collingwood Football Club supported FightMND through players, staff and supporters purchasing and wearing FightMND beanies, EDM promotion and the donation of signed Collingwood jumpers. We were also supported by Nike donating boots for auction, while Darcy Moore and Brianna Davey braved the chill of the ice dunk machine! This year’s Big Freeze game raised $20 million.
The Peter Mac Cup is the longest running charity match in VFL/AFL history, with traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton coming together to support one important cause; cancer research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.
While the Pies prevailed over their arch rivals in a thrilling contest, equally pleasing was this year’s Peter Mac Cup raised over $280,000 for cancer research at Peter Mac!
The Collingwood Football Club supported Peter Mac in a number of ways including player visits, and providing several raffle and auction prizes.
MEALS SERVED
MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDED
EDUCATION SUPPORT
SIGNED FOOTBALLS DONATED
RENT PAID
BUILDING REPAIRS
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
TICKETS DONATED
GLASSES PROVIDED
SIGNED GUERNSEYS DONATED
FOOTY BOOTS GIVEN AWAY
FOOTY GEAR PROVIDED
EMPLOYMENT READY COURSES OFFERED
MAINTENANCE ON HOUSES
LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDED
Coles is proud to have been a major partner of the Collingwood Football Club Community Foundation since 2018 to help support vulnerable Victorians. Together, we hope to harness the power of football to positively impact people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage through initiatives such as the Magpie Nest, the Magpies Reclink program and Collingwood’s Wheelchair Football team.
We’re particularly proud to play our part to support the Magpie Nest year-round, whose services are making a genuine difference in Melbourne. Hundreds of Coles team members each year have seen firsthand the
Sally Fielke
Group Corporate & Indigenous Affairs Office Coles
Nike is a proud supporter of the Collingwood Football Club Community Foundation’s Barrawarn program, and the incredible work that the organisation does to engage with and empower First Nations communities.
Connecting athletes to sport is what we do at Nike and in partnership with Barrawarn, we have provided funding and donated footy boots to help ensure that everyone has equal access to participate, while also acknowledging and celebrating indigenous culture.
We look forward to continuing our work with Barrawarn through further practical support and sports clinics, as well as cultural exchange and immersion with our Nike teammates and First Nations communities.
Ashley Reade Vice President & General Manager, Nike Pacific
$530K OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO BE DONATED
