The Southern Highlands Quilter's Guild has stitched up new ways to help women in violent relationships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The dedicated quilters have taken on a new thread and partnered with The Southern Highlands Association of Women (SHAW) a charity established in 2018 to raise funds to build a women's centre.
The quilter's guild has chosen the association to be the official charity for the biennial Quilt Show in 2020.
Guild president Jo Mawbey said the quilters chose to support SHAW after women in the group opened up about their own experiences with domestic violence.
She said the group of more than 100 older ladies desired to support a womens' charity that would help the community.
On December 10 the guild kick started support for the charity with a donation of Christmas presents for SHAW to distribute to women and children in need.
SHAW project co-coordinator Erin Nichols said so many presents were donated that when she packed them into her car, the boot overflowed.
"We wanted to help women and children who mightn't have so many nice things this Christmas," she said.
Ms Nichols said the donations were nice little extra things that would help make Christmas special for women and children doing it tough.
SHAW has a fundraising goal of $50,000 to employ a part-time domestic violence worker in the Southern Highlands.
"We want any funds raised in the community to go back to the community," Ms Nichols said.
The charity aims to help 100 women across the region in the next 12 months.
They will also distribute cloth nappies to help families keep costs down and reduce their environmental footprint.
Ms Nichols said domestic violence was a hidden issue in the Southern Highlands.
"Being a smaller community, and a community that is often associated with affluence, people often hide behind closed doors," she said.
She said the feelings of shame and isolation were increased over the Christmas period.
"With celebration going on there is a lot of pressure to put up a front that everything is fine."
There isn't one designated place to get information and help with domestic violence in the Southern Highlands.
Ms Nichols said services in the region had become limited. That's where SHAW comes in.
The charity aims to get the women's centre set up as quickly as possible.
The centre would be a place where someone could visit as often or as little as they like.
Ms Nichols said this was important as it could take seven to eight attempts for someone to finally leave a violent relationship.
She said the missing piece of the puzzle was for women to have the ability to walk in and get a little bit of information at a time.
"Currently there is not much opportunity for women to prepare to leave in their own time in a way that keeps them and their children safe.
"Women and children that are living in violent situations have spent a lot of time developing ways to keep themselves safe. Having a service that can be guided by them is important."
The Quilt Show will be held on February 22 and 23, 2020 at the Mittagong RSL Club.
Admission is $6 for adults. Children under 12 are free.
Family and domestic violence support services:
- 1800 Respect national helpline: 1800 737 732
- Women's Crisis Line: 1800 811 811
- Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491
- Lifeline (24 hour crisis line): 131 114
- Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277