We’re excited to be part of Project Stationery this year.

This project, in its second year, is encouraging schools to reduce their stationery waste by offering a collection framework for (public and private, primary and secondary) schools and a redistribution service for the collected stationery.

Such a great service to families … no more drawers of minimally used plastic folders, pencils, notebooks etc. cluttering up houses and eventually ending up in the bin!

If your school cares about and actions environmental sustainability and would be able to organise a stationery collection drive at the end of the year, they can now register with Project Stationery.

Visit project_stationery on instagram and follow the link to join up.

Such a great idea! It was fabulous to see it rollout last year … and hopefully it will be even better this year.

We’re thrilled to be able to help all the amazing volunteers involved this summer.

With a fabulous donation of Tahitian limes this month we’ll be exploring citrus based recipes in preserves group. In particular we’ll be:

• Dehydrating limes to add a fancy twist to a cocktail/mocktail

• Cooking up a batch of marmalade, and

• Packing some preserved limes.

Join us this Tuesday afternoon in the kitchen from 1pm. It’s great way to meet other locals - and help us fundraise.

The (now) annual Yarra Neighbourhood House Network thank you lunch for volunteers was on this Saturday - rounding up National Volunteer Week.

It was lovely that some of our committee and fabulous volunteers got to meet other volunteers across Yarra, and enjoy lunch and music and chatting.

The event was also attended by key staff and Councillors from Yarra which was super.

At ACC we have so many people who do big and little things to help each week - from coordinating their book club to teaching line dancing … to dropping off the money, helping out at our markets, knitting, cooking, setting up toy library … providing extra support for participants for our access all abilities programs … and of course being on our committee of governance to help guide our strategic direction.

So … thanks so much to EVERYONE who puts time and energy into ACC. We really appreciate it!

What a lovely, connected community we live in!

Another fabulous year of carol singing last night - Jan (our unflagging and entertaining host) and Jan (on piano for the first time) led a packed out Alphington Bowls Club audience through nearly every song in the ACC songbook once again. You never miss out on your favourite carol at this event - because they all get sung 🎵.

And it was just lovely to hear our local choir The Alphingtones perform. They sounded gorgeous.

Thanks David for your bagpiping … and Anne - always a powerhouse behind the scenes. And Mish for her running around! And Geoff (secret Santa business).

And everyone who comes along every year and contributes by leading a carol etc.

These carols have been running for around 40 years … and have been hosted at the Scout Hall, in the outdoor amphitheatre at Kate’s house (1 View Street) and now at Alphington Bowls Club. Last night I heard someone say they typed up the original songbook! Amazing.

And we raised about $275 through our gold coin donations. This year we’ll support some people doing it tough through The Salvos.

Merry Christmas.

Thanks everyone who came along! Thanks everyone who helped out!

It was a fabulous end to the year for us - glorious weather, amazing company and yummy food.