Hi all, a reminder that if you come to ACC we’d really appreciate if you could fill out our participant survey this week. Just click here.

Alternatively, you can scan the QR code below. Or you can complete a hard copy in the office … but ONLINE IS BEST.

The survey is about what you do at ACC, why you come along and how attending ACC makes you feel - particularly in relation to community connections.

Thanks so much for taking the time!

Our annual Christmas Makers Market is coming up next weekend on Saturday 23rd of November.

It looks like the weather will be nice … and the amazing makers will have so many options on offer. This is a great opportunity to get cracking with your Christmas shopping and spoil family and friends with unique gifts.

• Jan the Tea Lady will be here - with her home crafted blends to lift spirits and soothe ailments.

• There are several options to find the perfect piece of jewellery for someone special. Hand crafted Sterling Silver pieces from both Rita and Lee. Jeanie and Ella are also offering jewellery and accessories.

• There will be hand crafted toys for little ones as well as fun accessories, handmade playdough, bath bombs, tote bags, felt items, printed textiles, paintings, silk scarves, pin cushions, device bags, lavendar bags and Betty’s cookbook too!

• The CWA will also have a stall with the many wonderful things they make and bake.

• We’ll have a range of baked goods, preserves, chutneys and curry sauces available for the foodies.

• There are also stalls supporting volunteers - local groups like Friends of Darebin Parklands and stalls that send their sales to support charities overseas.

• There will be a sausage sizzle going, supported by the wonderful volunteers from the Rotary of Ivanhoe and Friends of Baucau coffee (using our coffee machine) inside …

• We’ll also have hand printed Christmas Cards and wrapping paper for purchase - to get your gifts ready to put under the tree or deliver to friends and family.

Come along on Saturday 23rd of November from 11am - 2pm.

Please note not all stalls will have tap and go so bring some cash if you can.

A short post this week, with a few reminders.

• We have Crunch on Thursday at 12.30pm. $15 for a delicious lunch and a creative activity.

• Come along on Friday at 10.30am for morning tea and have a chat with Clare about our multi-use garden. It should be interesting. This Garden Tour is part of Urban Agriculture month.

• Next week we have Preserves Group at 1pm on Tuesday and Movie Club on in the evening. We’ll let you know the movie and the time later this week.

• We’ll be getting ready for the Makers Market on Saturday 23 November from 11am-2pm which also coincides with the start of the Alphington Open Studios weekends. We are once again really looking forward to hosting local artists here at ACC and the market is always a great local community event. We hope you can make it.

Also, next week we’ll be participating in the 4 yearly Community Survey that is run by our peak body Neighbourhood Houses Victoria (NHVic). We’ll have QR codes around our site and will ask everyone who comes along to take two minutes to participate and complete the survey. The survey really helps us build a picture of the value of our house in terms of community need for our services and why and how people engage with us … and it is fundamental to securing our ongoing funding as a sector - so we’d be really grateful if you participated. Keep an eye out for the QR codes if you are here!

Lots on (still) as we roll into the end of the year … see you soon.

Leanne

So much fun at Community Lunch this week celebrating Diwali - with Meet sharing her Punjabi culture with us. Fabulous food, clothes and dancing! Thanks Meet.

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