The MWSG is a free and welcoming space in Inner Melbourne for women and their children from over 53 cultures. Twice a week these women look forward to connecting, sharing stories, learning new skills and laughing together. We provide a trained facilitator and free use of equipment for our women to create everything from household items to face masks, as well as opportunities to collaborate on public art installations and community projects.
Over our 25-year history we have partnered with a variety of community organisations. For example, we have shared our creative skills with newly arrived women from the Asylum Seeker Welcome Centre and have produced bird’s nests and Joey pouches to help bushfire affected wildlife. Our members also enjoy making art and craft to be sold at markets for their own businesses as well as raising funds for our group. This community work not only enhances social connection between some of these marginalised women, it also gives them a sense of purpose and achievement as well.
During the COVID-19 pandemic we moved our sessions online. The group kept in touch with phone calls and Zoomed together. In the isolation of their homes, they sewed scrub caps to donate to the medical staff at Sunshine hospital and made face masks for the asylum seekers at Baptcare Sanctuary in Brunswick. Other sewing projects included making Mad Hats based on a design by Schiaparelli, alternative Halloween costumes and an ongoing project of creating flags that showcase stories about how our women have settled in Australia.
A negative effect of the long-lasting lockdown in Melbourne is that we were unable to raise necessary funds through our regular fundraisers. So, we would value any donation to help us fund our operational costs ($15,000) and cover our Covid Safe expenses to re-establish face to face sessions and rebuild our sewing community in 2021.
Your contribution will allow us to continue to commit to the way creativity builds harmony amongst over 80 women. We have done this for 25 years and we are determined to continue for another 25, welcoming more of Melbourne’s most marginalised women into our safe and welcoming creative space.
For more information please contact:
Luci Tamis, President: womens.sewing@gmail.com
