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Progress and Enhancements

Nov 15, 2023 | News

We are thrilled to share some of our improvements over the past year, made possible by the generous support of our donors and supporters. These enhancements reflect our commitment to creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our community.

A New Kiln: Fostering Creativity and Skills One of the most exciting additions to our facilities is the acquisition of a brand-new kiln. This invaluable resource opens up endless opportunities for our participants to explore their creativity through clay. Creating functional and beautiful objects not only allows them to express themselves, but also promotes the development of fine and gross motor skills, tactile understanding, and a sense of accomplishment.

Bathroom Renovation: Ensuring Accessibility and Dignity: In our ongoing efforts to improve accessibility, we embarked on a comprehensive renovation of the bathroom in the north wing of our Banksia Community Centre. This transformation guarantees that every member of our community, regardless of their mobility, can enjoy our centre’s amenities with ease and dignity, reinforcing our commitment to inclusivity.

Pathway Upgrade to Waaia: Enabling Freedom of Movement: We reached a significant milestone with the upgrade of the Waaia pathway, aligning perfectly with our dedication to inclusivity and accessibility. This enhancement ensures that the pathway meets all accessibility standards, enabling everyone to move freely and comfortably around and to both the Waaia and Kinta buildings.

Kinta Flooring and Fresh Look: We are committed to creating a welcoming environment by enhancing comfort and aesthetics in our facilities. Recently, we replaced the flooring at Kinta and gave the space a fresh coat of paint.

The transformation of our Humble Shed: For years, our participants and school students have taken immense pride in their role of preparing and delivering fresh seasonal produce boxes to collection points across Sydney’s Lower & Upper North Shore. Thanks to a generous $20,000 grant from the NSW Government Community Building Partnership, this work has now become even more enjoyable and efficient. Our shed has has now evolved into a vibrant and highly functional packing and distribution centre. This revitalised space is fully insulated, climate-controlled, and brightly lit, creating an optimal environment for our participants and students. Our revamped distribution centre not only helps us to empower our participants and students, but also fosters a profound sense of purpose and unity as we come together to serve our community with the freshest and finest produce available.

School Ground Improvements and Innovative Spaces: In the past year  we constructed a specialised sensory room, a safe and nurturing space designed to help our students with self-regulation and well-being. Additionally our playgrounds and primary play areas have received substantial enhancements, making them more engaging and enjoyable for our students. We’ve invested in expanding our parking facilities, upgraded roofing, and installed a state-of-the-art fire system to ensure the safety of our school community. We have also made substantial upgrades to our woodwork shed equipment, and established a “Loom Room”, in which our master weaving volunteer has been actively engaged in weaving projects with our students.

These service improvements reflect our commitment to creating a more inclusive and enriching experience for everyone who walks through our doors. We are deeply grateful to our donors and supporters whose generosity has made these enhancements possible. Together, we are creating a brighter, more accessible future for our community.