Volunteers Pat Moran, Wendy Hunt, volunteer co-ordinator Debra Russell and volunteers Kathy Shannon and Dawn Tricarico at GV Pregnancy and Family Support Service’s open morning.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Shepparton’s reborn GV Pregnancy and Family Support Service hosted an open morning on Wednesday for the public to see its offerings in the infancy of its new life.
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The service, under the umbrella of the Caroline Chisholm Society, sadly closed last year after 50 years of providing material aid to pregnant women and families in the region.
After a fundraising push that generated $30,000, it was able to reopen the doors to its St Andrews Rd building.
The open morning showcased to the public the material aid offered, including free clothing, nappies and other essentials for babies and children, and invited material and monetary donations, and new volunteers to join.
“It was a good morning,” volunteer co-ordinator Debra Russell said.
“We had a few people through the doors and some other services here.”
Volunteer co-ordinator Debra Russell.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Representatives from Our Place Mooroopna and local mental health services attended the open morning, while some community members dropped off donations and others popped in to inquire about volunteering.
Volunteers Dawn Tricarico and Wendy Hunt put together items of clothing.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
“Our volunteers are getting older, the average age of them is 76,” Ms Russell said.
“I think they’d be keen to get a few younger ones on board.”
She suggested volunteering might appeal to someone whose child had just started school, or those in the 55-and-up age bracket.
Volunteer Kathy Shannon sorts through donated clothing.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
“The strength of us is the volunteers; they do all the ground work,” Mrs Russell, who is the only paid staff member, said.
Coming into winter, the service is calling for warm clothing donations in all sizes.
It also needs bassinets in good working order and prams manufactured in or after 2020.
While it’s not currently short on nappies due to a generous donation from the Shepparton South Rotary Club, whose members Ms Russell says “have been very supportive”, they do go quickly, so they will always be welcomed.
Inside the GV Pregnancy Support shop where people can choose items for free.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
The service supports anyone who needs it, no questions asked.
That means no referrals, no Medicare cards and no criteria to be means-tested.
The service operates Monday to Wednesday, from 9am to noon.
However, with no ongoing government funding, the vital service is at risk of closing every time it runs out of money from donations and occasional grants.
It appreciates any sized donation of money or goods.
∎ Tax-deductible cash donations to the service can be made at tinyurl.com/4jy6x9pd.
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