Come along … come along! 10-12 Wednesdays we have a lovely mix of families who are regularly attending our Playtime in the Garden. There are mums and dads and grandparents and carers … and Lee sets up creative activities - and even makes cups of tea (or you can help yourself … or buy a fancy coffee next door!) What more could you ask for?

With rain and sunshine and warm weather our garden is looking fabulous at the minute. Some beautiful pale blue ixia bulbs have popped up in our front garden. Clare tells me they are from a donation in the seed library - so thanks for sharing neighbourhood friends!

We’ve started growing spring seedlings, and over the holidays Clare took our tomato seedlings home (along with some basil seedlings I think she said) to keep an eye on them, and they are now starting to look strong and healthy … so we should have some ready to give away in our seed library soon - keep an eye out if you haven’t got around to raising your own this year.

Last week Lee and Elena added some more hand-crafted bling to the very front corner. We’re trying to protect that garden bed as it gets established.

More generally all our programs are back up and running this week. AAA Arts recommenced last week, and our AAA Bowls along with our two Women in the Shed courses are starting mid week.

We have our AGM coming up very soon - let us know if you’d like to attend - and then two repair weekend workshops - clothes mending and bike repairs … these are part of the sustainability workshop series we’ve been running this semester with other houses in Yarra.

There’s always lots on at ACC. And we hope to see you here soon.

We’re super excited about Music from the Wetlands! Such a fun and fabulous family day down by the Yarra at the bottom of View Street. It is coming up on Sunday 19 November starting at 11am … and we’ll be doing our bit running the kids activities again - put it in your diary and come along for a super relaxing neighbourhood day - and don’t forget to pop in and say hello to us!

One week til the referendum.

Did you know that you can vote early up at Bridge Darebin (another neighbourhood house) on High Street in Preston?

As you know our organisation is supportive of a Voice to Parliament to help close the gap for our First Nations friends, colleagues and neighbours in Australia. Neighbourhood houses have had a long standing commitment to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

It has been so heartening to walk the streets and see so many yes signs in gardens and stickers on cars etc. in our neighbourhood.

And in the interests of furthering positive conversations we currently have a big board up on our fence asking our community to share some of their reasons for voting yes. It has been great to see the answers.

Haha! We need a Treasure(r) here at ACC - for this financial year. If you yourself are kind-hearted and friendly - and would like to support our kind-hearted and friendly organisation, and have an hour or two available 10 times a year (we meet on a Monday at 6.30pm) … and can read a balance sheet - we need you!

Please note we have a very competent employed Finance Officer - so our Treasurer reports to the Committee of Governance on reports prepared for them - meaning the role is not in the trenches but focused on financial and strategic oversight.

If you are interested in helping out in this way please contact Leanne at info@alphington.org.au or call 9499 7227. Before our AGM on Monday 23 October.