August 2025
Newsletter August 2025
Our launch of our new startup online business: clothingalterationservices.com. The launch was a great success, attended by Tim Chakanthorp, State Member for Newcastle, and Coralie Nichols, CEO of the Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation. They all congratulated our team on the work we are doing to help disadvantaged adults in our local community. The great news is that we have already attracted the attention of two potential customers through the website. We have a few trained women working on an upcycling order that is providing our startup with an excellent opportunity to gain experience, which will enable us to grow the business. It will take time to build up the required orders to employ all women trained who have reached the necessary skill level. The distribution of all orders received by HAFC will be distributed among the group and will reflect the level of skills of the individuals. More complex jobs will have to be completed by those who have reached the necessary competence to complete the work to the required quality.
The training of the final group of sewers is now underway. Today we had a visit from the local federal member for Shortland, Pat Conroy, who is also the Minister of Defence, met the trainees and trainer, as well as Survivors are Us Public Officer Ann-Maria Martin. We received federal funding to purchase computers for training disadvantaged Adults to help them achieve their goal of finding employment. It is heartening to get some recognition for the work we are presently doing. Also attending our training session was Katrina Gulbrandsen, Co-Director of the company Shared World Collective, a designer and seamstress. She is interested in joining us as a supporter and someone who can also encourage other designers to contribute work to the sewing cluster.
Our secretary, Cherylin, has been very busy as usual, first creating a podcast about our journey into the circular economy and then being interviewed on ABC Radio. Thanks to Bridget for keeping the social media on Facebook rolling along. Dhananjay has been working well with Mark, who has made our website, which is drawing attention across the community. Aradhana is leading our effort to compete in the University of Newcastle’s circular economy challenge. Finally, Doug has provided a poster showing the date and time of our yearly “Trivia Night” on Sat, 20th September at a new location: Belmont Golf Club. Please assist by spreading the word among your groups. Also, posters are available to advertise our online “pick up and drop off”: https://www.clothingalterationservices.com. Let’s post them around the place when you get a chance.
We are gaining traction within the community, which will help make our new startup successful. Thank you to all of you who assisted, as it is only through a team effort that we can grow our organisation.
Pat