Alphington Show was so much fun this year! We had glorious weather and lots of people came along and joined in. The pony rides were a real hit and our show entrants were super talented.

We’d like to thank our partners Alphington CWA. It was terrific to run this event together.

We’d also like to thank our friends from the Preston Garden Club for judging (along with the CWA) and Nelson Alexander for helping us publicise the event AND for providing a prize. We had 16 people get a hole in one on our mini-golf green and go into the draw to win the $100 LaTrobe Golf Club voucher… and many more spent quite a while trying!

This year we had 29 entrants in our family friendly, funny and somewhat shambolic dog show. The calibre of entrants was very impressive … we saw the most amazing trick - a dog who retrieved a tissue from a tissue box when their owner sneezed. Beyond impressive! We’d like to thank E and A Salce on High Street Thornbury for the prizes.

We had around 15 stallholders in our makers market with lots of lovely things to buy. We love running events that support local makers.

Finally a big thanks to our volunteers. We had some new helpers this year and along with some old favourites! And we really couldn’t do all the things we do without you.

Oh, and congratulations to all our prize winners … thanks once again everyone!

See you next year!

Looking to introduce your children to age appropriate concepts, language and actions that enable and empower them (and you as a family) to talk about and make a difference in the climate change sphere? Yarra City Council is hosting two events you might be interested in. Thanks Karen for sending these workshop links through.

Young children talking climate action (free event)

10.30am-12.15pm, Wednesday April 6, Collingwood Children’s Farm

To register: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/273977081827

Come along and take climate action as a family within the natural surrounds of the Collingwood Children’s Farm. Join CERES early childhood educator, Deanne Jones, to take part in simple activities that engage young children with climate change and climate actions which can be taken as a family. The activity will be followed up with a nature play activity and families can then stay and enjoy the Farm after the event.

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Talking with young children about climate change (free event)

7-8.30pm, Tuesday April 12, online

To register: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/273906009247

Join psychologist Susie Burke to hear about ways of coping with the ‘uncomfortable truths’ of climate change and gather ideas about how to support our children to cope. Also hear from an early childhood educator and a parent about what gives them hope and how they have engaged young children around climate change. The concepts covered are applicable to children of all ages, with this session focussing on children within the age of 2-6years.

Don’t forget! … and the Dog Show 🐩 . Find out more here.

We had 14 people along for our visible mending workshop with local textile artist Serene on Saturday.

Serene provided introduction kits, lots of gorgeous samples and real life inspiration for patching and darning across a variety of fabrics, basic information on needles and thread (the tools of the trade), practical help with particular projects and also directed participants to great resources such as books from the library for further ideas and skill development.

It is just wonderful that so many people in our community are interested in learning and exploring new skills that help keep items out of hard rubbish.

We are so lucky to have such a generous community that is so conscious of recycling and reusing. And we regularly accept clean jars without labels. But unfortunately we have no more room to store any more at the moment - our cupboard is full (and overflowing).

We will begin some preserving for the upcoming Alphington Show but even so it is going to take us quite a while to make use of all the jars we have already received.

So could we please ask that you find another place to donate for a while - like Moon Rabbit cafe which is part of Bridge Darebin neighbourhood house in Preston. They make use of clean label free jars as take away coffee cups - which means they get through a lot of them quickly.

Thanks. We’ll let you know when we have space again!