3 minute read
Textile Therapy and Team-building all Rolled into One
In November 2024, thanks to a $50,000 grant from Community Bank Samford [part of Bendigo Bank] we launched Stitch Together, The Nest Community’s invigoration program. Designed to stimulate broad community participation in textile recovery it includes our Turbo Rolling Bee initiative.
This initiative has been designed to encompass various objectives. Firstly it enables us to keep up with the demand for processing textile donations so that we can recirculate more low-cost, quality resources back into the community. It also aims to educate groups about what is involved with reclaiming textiles and what it’s like volunteering at The Nest Finally, by rewarding groups with a $500 Nest Haberdashery voucher we are amplifying our social impact by getting low-cost textile resources to the people that could benefit from them like schools, tertiary design institutions and community groups.
One of our first Turbo Rolling Bees was with Nest Volunteer Julie. Through her business Ministry of Handmade, a dozen customers were keen to get involved.
Julie and her team decided to pay-it-forward and give the voucher to the local Girl Guides in Moreton Bay.
We were curious to find out how the voucher was used when Peggy Campbell, Senior Girl Guide Leader in the North Brisbane Region, came into The Nest Haberdashery with the voucher in hand. Luckily, Julie was volunteering the same day and helped Peggy and Virginia select a mountain of polar fleece fabric, which they use to make knee rugs for aged care, baby wraps and children’s quilts.
We have really been enjoying seeing the variety of groups coming forward to participate in this initiative. In February we had ladies from Mount Tamborine Creative Arts complete a session as well as the Country Women’s Association [CWA] Samford Both thoroughly enjoyed their time and CWA Samford let us know that they will also pay-it-forward and give the voucher to Southbank TAFE for their Fashion Design students.
In the coming months we have a book club and student theatre group keen to participate.
It’s wonderful to see the impact of Turbo Rolling Bees evolving and thanks to the overwhelming support we ’ ve received we are thrilled to announce that we have extended applications until December 2025.
