Cooroy ladies recognised for sewing effort

from Cooroy Rag 17 August 2022 edition

Sport........................ 28

Taken on the very first day of U4K in Cooroy, Margaret Coventry and Jenny Rooke cut patterns at the CWA hall in 2017 and today’s Palm Lake Resort sewing group (from left) Marie Hansen, Jeanette Reichman, Margaret Willis, Yvonne Pattinson, Wendy Groves, Dianne Boswell, Pamela Tebbutt and Margaret Nolan. Prior to 2017, there were just a few ladies sewing in their own homes.

THREE times a week, volunteers for Cooroy-born charity, Uniforms 4 Kids (U4K), meet to sew items of clothing for children, repurposing used police uniforms.

The aim is to provide clothes for children in crisis centres, refugees, indigenous communities and all children in need.

Since its inception in 2017, the 35-plus local volunteers have sewn approximately 23,000 items of clothing.

This incredible feat will be acknowledged by Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll and Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan with a special presentation at Palm Lake Resort on 20 September.

Cooroy U4K founder and board member, Yvonne Pattinson, said it is an amazing achievement.

“U4K started in Cooroy and is now widespread, with so many people sewing and enjoying each other's company.

“Our clothes have been sent to so many places, making so many children happier, safer and supported.”

Queensland Police Service Commissioner Katarina Carroll said as a proud ambassador of Uniforms 4 Kids, she is honoured to be part of such a significant achievement.

“It is fantastic to share this partnership and support Uniforms 4 Kids to donate more than 20,000 items of clothing for children in need. "That is an incredible feat, especially when you consider the time and effort that goes into repurposing the clothes that are then donated.

“Thank you to all the incredible sewers who give up their time, as well as our members who donate their old uniforms for this good cause."

Yvonne said Uniforms 4 Kids’ beginnings in Cooroy were humble, commencing with a handful of home sewers.

“We then secured the Cooroy CWA hall but this meant hauling all the machines, materials and uniforms to the premises every week as there was no storage.

“Luckily for us, we found a new home in the basement of the Uniting Church in Cooroy.

“Sadly, in the recent floods, it received significant storm damage and all our supplies were either ruined or had to be dried out and repaired.

“A call went out to the community, to all the councillors and all the local politicians, and a generous lady allowed us to use her studio unit for minimal rent. However, the studio was situated out of town and with many of our volunteers being elderly Cooroy residents, the drive to the studio proved too much for some.

“So the never-give-up attitude of some of the ladies and their husbands saw the church premises cleaned up. Together we dried it out, painted the walls, ceilings and furniture, and generally cleared and cleaned it all up.

“Now we are back there, happy and content, and hopeful of no further heavy rains.”

Through all this, the Cooroy ladies have soldiered on making clothing and enjoying each other's company.

“There are three groups in Cooroy. The original group of about 15 ladies including four or five who have been with the organisation since it started, meet at the Uniting Church every Friday. Two groups at Palm Lake Resort meet every Monday and Tuesday morning.

“Our ladies have made new friends and have a new purpose in life. We know we are blessed to have Uniforms 4 Kids in our lives,” Yvonne said.

Need an accountant to empower your business and be a trusted advisor?

Do you have all your business accounting systems in place? If not, this is a great time to get them up and running seamlessly. We offer complete business packages, from set up to ongoing monthly bookkeeping and reporting, so you can focus on more important things!