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Newly arrived refugee families will be among those to benefit from this year’s Bendigo Community Coat Drive.
Bendigo Community Health Services project worker Bronwyn Moore said blankets would help those families cope with the increasingly cool weather in central Victoria.
“They are feeling the cold a bit because they have just come out of camps where they were exposed to heat and humidity,” she said.
In her hands was a patchwork quilt hand-made by the Diocese of Bendigo Mothers Union, a mission agency of the Anglican Church of Australia.
It was symbolic of the community’s support for the coat drive.
In a single day, last week, people donated 70 coats at Pristine Dry Cleaners in Bendigo, one of four drop-off points
Pristine Dry Cleaners last year cleaned all 1839 donated items, for free. People donated coats, jackets, blankets, scarves, beanies, gloves and socks.
Support has risen in the past four years, from 800 items donated in 2011.
Bendigo Community Health Services chief executive Kim Sykes said the coat drive was becoming increasingly important as larger sections of the community experienced financial difficulties.
“Many people take it for granted that if you are cold you buy a coat or blanket, but it is clear that more and more people are finding this a struggle,” she said.
She said Bendigo was in the bottom half of all Victorian local government areas listed in the most recent Socio-Economic Index for Areas report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which rates disadvantage.
“If we break that down further, 69 percent of areas in Greater Bendigo sat in the lowest 50 percent of SEIFA for Victoria scores for Victoria, with 23 percent of those areas in the bottom 20 percent for the state,” Ms Sykes said.
“This shows the desperate situation many people are facing in Bendigo.”
Ms Sykes said Bendigo Community Health Services was determined to change that trend by striving for equity in the community.
“There is no quick fix and until we make permanent change we need to provide support to those in immediate need,” she said.
“The coat drive is one way we can all help do this - if you have something spare in the wardrobe, we would love for you to support this community effort.”
Coat drive donations can be made at Pristine Drycleaners at 141-161 High Street, Bendigo, and the following Bendigo Community Health Services offices until June 3: 171 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo; 13 Helm Street, Kangaroo Flat; and 3 Seymour Street, Eaglehawk.