The Connecting Craft Upcycle Café commenced operations at East Bentleigh. This group now meets each Wednesday and is opportunity for local community members to come together in a social environment to upcycle clothing and craft. The group is supported by the BHN Ladies Auxiliary, run by volunteers and aims to fundraise for BHN East Bentleigh. Staff have been engaging with the group buying their goods and making a donation in return for small clothing repairs.
For many years a small number of women have volunteered to use their craft skills to raise money for BHN East Bentleigh and surrounding sites. In recent times this group has donated over $26k towards a community garden at the East Bentleigh site. The group now operates as an Upcycle Craft Cafe. A new initiative has been to extend the activities of this group to allow the group to operate a more mobile Upcycle Craft. This allows the group to operate from multiple key sites including two new social housing estates.
The group now plans to operate a mobile Upcycle Craft Cafe supporting clients with disabilities at the Parkdale and surrounding sites, residents from the Older Persons Highrise Program and residents of Supported Residential Services. The women volunteering in the Upcycle Craft Cafe have indicated they have a new purpose in life.
Connecting Craft Group
The Connecting Craft Upcylce Café brings local people together in a social environment to have fun while making a significant contribution to community health..
