Hope Street CEO, Donna Bennett reflects upon her day spent at a quilting exhibition where a special group of women generously donated the proceeds of their quilt raffle to support young people and young families experiencing homelessness in Melton.

Blankets wrap you in warmth, quilts wrap you in love.

-- Anonymous

Most people will remember the extremely windy day in Melbourne on Sunday the 9th of October. I certainly do as I was on the road to the Willows Quilting Group Biennial Quilting Exhibition held at the St Catherine’s School Hall in Melton West.

It was well worth the journey through the extremely blustery weather conditions. I was warmly greeted by two members of the Willows Quilting Group who enthusiastically promoted the raffle of a quilt with the proceeds going to Hope Street. When I introduced myself they were very interested in hearing about the extent of youth homelessness in the City of Melton, the lack of services and the tremendous community spirit and support for the Hope Street First Response Youth Service initiative. They were also very keen to hear about the many strengths of young people wanting to stay in their local area, continuing with school or work and maintaining their relationships.

I then enjoyed an afternoon admiring all of the magnificent quilts on display. I was struck by the vibrant designs reflecting different aspects of community, life and environments. I was impressed by the creativeness and colourfulness of the quilts showcasing the true artistry of quilt making and design. I could see each quilt was the result of many hours of work.

It was a pleasure to meet last year’s President of the Willows Quilting Group, Maureen (seen at left in the image above), and this year’s President, Yvonne (right), as well as other members. We talked about what is involved in making a quilt and the wonderful community projects the group are working on. I could clearly hear and see the passion, enthusiasm and enjoyment quilting gave these wonderful women. I could also see their strong community spirit, warmth and friendship between the women – connected by their love of quilting.

I thank the Willows Quilting Group who raised over $600 from their raffle at their Biennial Exhibition held on the 8th and 9th of October 2016 and who have kindly donated the proceeds to our Melton First Response campaign for the Hope Street First Response Youth Service initiative. It is with delight that I look forward to the next Exhibition.