The Tocumwal Rotary Club and Girls Shed have been working together to make quilts and care bags — the Girls Shed makes the quilts and bags, while Rotary members fill the bags before they are passed on to local police to distribute.
Tocumwal Rotary Club president and Girls Shed member Lynette Miller said the Girls Shed was a group of ladies who meet once a week to work on various craft projects.
“It’s lovely to see people doing what they love doing, and it’s amazing how, when people realise where these bags are going, how many people want to help,” she said.
Rotary supplies many of the items included in the bags, while other products are donated by members of the community.
The bags are made for everyone — women, men, children and babies, with the contents tailored to suit each recipient.
Hygiene products are included alongside knitted hats and beanies, while children’s bags contain toys.
“The word’s getting around so much now about the bags that we’ve even been given little crisis teddies that are hand-knitted, and they’re beautiful,” Ms Miller said.
“I put them into every child and baby’s bag.
“This year we included quilts too as we had lots of material sitting out in the back room and being winter it has been so cold.”
For Ms Miller, the best part of being involved is simple.
“It’s the satisfaction of helping, I like to help people,” she said.
The Tocumwal Rotary club is also helping raise awareness of domestic violence in the wider community by wearing purple shirts every Friday and each year they hold a Domestic Violence Day — this year’s one is set for Friday, November 27.
Anyone interested in joining the Tocumwal Girls Shed are encouraged to “just turn up to a meeting”.
Meetings are held every Thursday from 9.30am to 2pm at the Lions Club Tocumwal, 5 Adams St.
Tocumwal Rotary is also welcoming new members who want to get involved in supporting the community.
For more information about joining, email rotarytocumwal@gmail.com
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