By Margaret Maccoll
It takes a creative mind to make stylish children’s clothing from recycled uniforms but a group of sewers at Cooroy showed just how that can be achieved.
The array of children’s clothing are made by the Uniforms 4 Kids group of volunteer sewers established by Yvonne Pattison. The group which are part of Brighter Future 4 Kids Foundation program supply clothes to children displaced by domestic violence incidences or have had to leave their homes because of disaster and need assistance.
Last week the group increased their efforts and delivered a collection of garments to Senior Sergeant Kim Cavell, officer-in-charge of the Sunshine Coast District Vulnerable Persons Unit.
Snr sgt Cavell said the unit worked in collaboration with agencies to assist victims of domestic violence and to engage the perpetrators of domestic violence to change their behaviours and keep them from reoffending.
She said what was an increasing social problem needed collaborative measures to address it. The Uniforms 4 Kids sewers were assisting children going through a difficult time.
“Kids might turn up to a foster home at 2am and have nothing with them. They might stay there for days, weeks or months,” she said. “And it’s a good use of old uniforms.”
The sewers receive recycled uniforms from the Queensland Police Force, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Australian Border Force, Australian Federal Police and Australia Zoo.
Cooroy Family Support centre’s Liz Cocker said domestic violence was a considerable problem in the Noosa Shire with most victims referred to the centre from police, GPs or psychologists.
“We’ve had six referrals in the past two weeks,” she said. “We get calls most days.” The centre helps victims through case management, providing counselling, crisis needs support and helps find accommodation. They often leave home with only the clothes on their backs.
“I’ve picked up ladies at the train station with nothing but shopping bags. “They’ve been shopping and haven’t been able to go home,” she said.
