WEDNESDAY women FEAT 1
What WEDNESDAY women aim to do, as we all agreed at the launch discussion, is send a container of goods to share between 3 Remote OPshops in the Kimberley Region of Northern WA. We would also like to send gifts for Christmas for children in those communities. We are looking to make the trip to accompany the delivery of the goods in October.
So that we can complete our FEAT WEDNESDAY women either need to raise funds to pay for, or seek an ‘in kind’ gift of, a container, truck and driver.
To gain the contents of the container – see items that have been requested listed below – we will ask people (family, friends, contacts, through social and traditional media, through church groups in and around Perth, etc., etc.) to collect and store things to be delivered to FRIENDSHIP CENTRAL (the West Swan site of GFS Perth) in the weeks before we go (date to be confirmed once we find the vehicle etc.)
Ngariny Wanti (which means clothing shop) OpShop
Mulan is located in the East Kimberley close to Lake Gregory. It is part of the Kutjungka region and has a population of about 100. The nearest town is Halls Creek which is about 200km away.
Halls Creek OpShop
Halls Creek is located in the East Kimberly region of Western Australia. It is located between the towns of Fitzroy Crossing and Turkey Creek (Warmun) on the Great Northern Highway. Home to approximately 1300 people, and there are six languages spoken these include Jaru, Kija, Gooniyandi, Kukatja, Kriol and English.
St Mary’s RC Church I have also had a conversation with Sister Alma Cabassi of St Mary’s RC Church in Halls Creek who also have a small Opshop that would be very grateful to receive items from us.
The items that have been requested:
· Clothing, Men and Women, kids and babies - cottons and natural fibres are best as its very hot - size 18+ especially.
· Women underwear – especially bras – in larger sizes i.e. size 18 plus
· Men’s jeans and trousers
· Shoes and socks – all sizes. Runners or enclosed shoes are best.
· Kids Hats especially but any hats suitable for sunny places, as well as flynets.
· Babies’ accessories such as bottles, bibs, nappies.
· Sheets, pillow slips, towels, tea towels etc. – in fact any bedding and linens.
Please don’t send anything ripped, stained, not suitable to sell or that you wouldn’t buy yourself due to poor condition.
We would also like to take:
· Sewing machines plus fabric, thread and accessory items for making things to use and sell.
· Knitting needles and crochet hooks, patterns and yarn.
· Art and craft resources for painting and other art and craft work.
· Sports kit – football boots especially - and sporting items such as frisbees; footballs; rugby balls; netball balls; basketball hoops (the stand-alone type) and balls; ball pumps; portable football training posts; tennis rackets; balls nets and posts; cricket bats, balls, wickets and keepers pads; skipping ropes; hoola hoops, play tunnels.
· Children’s trikes and bikes – not electric, scooters – not electric.
· Water play equipment – water cannons, squirters, etc.
Christmas gifts.
We’d also like to take Christmas gifts for the children. We would like these to be new items, wrapped and ready and labelled with details of age and gender they are suitable for. Local sources in Halls Creek say new clothes especially t shirts and shorts, undies/knickers and socks are very welcome gifts. It seems they get a lot of reading books sent so they would prefer not to receive those although other stationary such as colouring and puzzle books and texters etc. would be great.
Drop Off – We will earmark a week directly prior to the date we travel to deliver the goods for people to bring their donations to FRIENDSHIP CENTRAL. Date will be announced as soon as we know it.
Delivery – Alison (and maybe others) will travel to the Kimberley either with the goods or meet them there so we can build a friendship with the recipients, as well as record and report on all we will have achieved.
Future
We hope to build an ongoing friendship with those we have already had contact with and who we meet on the journey. We will seek their views on what any ongoing relationship might look like.
