We had a great turnout for the AGM, a mix of staff, committee members, volunteers and community members.

We ate dinner together and then reviewed the year through a presentation that featured Kalimna’s beautiful photos. Every year I am amazed at all the things we get done!

Thanks to our Committee of Governance last year - Heather Campbell (Chair), Jane Wilkinson (Deputy Chair), Lorena Felicitti (Treasurer), Wendy Pryor (Secretary), Ina Leung, Michelle Fidler and Anne Crehan for your guidance and support.

We are very sad to say goodbye to both Michelle and Anne this year. Anne has been on the Committee since at least 2007 and Michelle says she has emails going back to at least 2012. They have made an amazing community contribution over that time, and for staff they have been always supportive, enthusiastic, forward thinking and kind.

We will miss them but know we will keep in contact through all the other amazing community things they are involved with - CWA, Alphington Bowls Club, AFCA etc.

I’d also like to thank Wendy for her contribution over the last few years. She is also retiring from the Committee - but I wave to her multiple times a week as she walks by and she is part of The Ukes (our ukulele group) - so I know we will keep connected!

Thanks again everyone for a fabulous year. We look forward to building on the foundations put in place this year - through our renovations- in the coming years.

Leanne

A short message this week as I have been flat out getting the paperwork ready for our AGM. It’s on tonight (Monday) at 6.30pm. All welcome. It’s always nice to have a few people along to share the highlights of the year.

We’ll have some food and drinks, and review the year that has been. Kalimna has taken some beautiful photos to remind us of all of the fun things we’ve done.

If you are coming please email or call so we cater for you!

Other than that … join us for Playgroup Wednesday from 10am-12pm, Crunch on Thursday 12.30pm … or check out our program below for everything else that is on.

Also, I think Kalimna has been in contact with Book Clubs about paying for next year. So a reminder to rejoin if you are planning to keep coming in 2025. Thanks!

Good luck to everyone with VCE kids (for those without, the English exam kicks things off on Tuesday and the kids are gearing up for a couple of weeks of pressure).

And … if you have any ideas for next year please get in contact. Email your ideas or call us. We’d love a couple more music teachers (we have violin and guitar at the minute) and we have a spot on Monday mornings that would be ideal for another playgroup or children's/family activity. More broadly we are open to ideas - the best things we run are always community led!

See you soon.

Leanne

Thanks to everyone who came along to our big cook-up for Preserves Group last week. We now have lots of delicious capsicum relish for sale at ACC, great for a gift!

This week we have AAA Bowls starting up on Wednesday and Crunch is back on Thursday. Come along for some creative fun and a yummy lunch as well … for only $15 … book in on our website.

We hope to see you.

Leanne

Well we were back with a bang last week. It feels like the holidays are a distant memory already!

On Monday evening I went to a farewell event for Councillor Amanda Stone, who has been on Yarra Council for 15 years. She has been a wonderful supporter of neighbourhood houses and is generally a lovely person - we will miss her, and we wish her all the best in her next endeavours. It was really amazing to see the contribution and connections she has made across Yarra over her time with Council - not just across the community but also with Councillors and Council staff. Congratulations Amanda, truly, on all that you have achieved in this sometimes (I am 100% sure) thankless role.

Back at home … it was lovely to see everyone again on Friday for craft, gardening and lunch.

And Thursday evening was fun - it was super to welcome a couple of new faces to Alphington Arts, where we did gelli plate printing. Lots of fun. LOTS of mess!

On Saturday afternoon we had 6 students come along to our VCE Study Help session - and a generous volunteer, Jessy, came along to supervise. She lives locally and is a teacher. Thanks so much Jessy. We have another session this Saturday and next … if you know anyone who is in the middle of VCE let them know they can book in. BYO practise exam.

The CWA craft group also met on Saturday afternoon - preparing for Christmas market sales. They are amazing fundraisers … and will have a stall at our Christmas Makers Market coming up on Saturday 23 November - so you will be able to come along and buy a lovely home crafted gift (or two) from them.

This week Kalimna and I will have our heads down focusing on preparing the paperwork and presentation for the AGM coming up on Monday 28 October at 6.30pm. Jill will be back in the office this week getting ready for AAA Bowls to resume next week on Wednesday 23 October. Clare will be starting up her Art and Drawing classes on Monday afternoon and Thursday evenings, and also recommencing our AAA Arts program on Friday afternoons.

We also have a busy day Tuesday with Preserves Group from 1pm and Movie Club at night. We’ll be seeing There’s Still Tomorrow at 8pm at Westgarth Cinema if you’d like to come along. It’s part of the Italian Film Festival.

Please note the posts below … Armchair Theatre are looking for some new members and a reminder about Alphington Open Studios, coming up at the end of November.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Leanne

We are coming up to school holidays, which start at the end of this week - but we have a packed agenda before then. In addition to all the regular things we have:

• Preserves Group - Tuesday at 1pm. We’ll be cooking some tomato chutney and finishing off our lemons if you are keen to come along.

• Movie Club 🍿 - Tuesday 6pm we’ll be meeting at Westgarth Cinema to see Touch. It looks like a fabulous film and anyone can join our movie club!

• Meet The Candidates - Wednesday at 7pm to meet the local ward candidates for the Darebin Council election. Find out more here.

• Alphington Arts - Thursday 7.30pm. We have life drawing coming up. Clare has organised a model.

Last week we had a great time with our impromptu ‘Lemon Cleaner DIY’ workshop and a lovely visit from our neighbourhood house colleagues on Wednesday. We also had Jill Post, who is the Greens candidate for Yarra pop in for lunch on Friday. It is always great to share what we do.

For more information on all of these things check out the posts and photos below.

Term 4 starts on Monday 7 October - and we look forward to seeing you then.

I hope you have a lovely week.

Leanne