Canberra Hospital Foundation Xmas Appeal
As the holiday season approaches, our hearts fill with warmth, joy, and a spirit of giving. This Christmas, consider giving back to our community through the Canberra Hospital Foundation. A beacon of compassion and care in our community all year round, the Foundation invites you to join hands in making a meaningful difference through their Givemas and Christmas Appeals. Find out how you can give back to your community this Christmas at canberrahospitalfoundation.org.au
GIVIT seeks educational toys
GIVIT is working with an organisation in the ACT that provides outreach services to young people at risk. They are hosting events for families doing it tough this Christmas, with free gifts for kids. They are seeking donations of educational toys such as games and puzzles for children 0-8 years old, preferably new or unused. Your donation will mean so much to these families who cannot afford to buy presents this season. Generous Canberrans can offer to purchase educational toys with 100% of money received by GIVIT used to purchase these items. To donate or fund, visit GIVIT.org.au/what’s-needed, search Category: ‘Educational toys’; Location: ‘ACT’. GIVIT supports more than 400 charities and community groups across the Capital Region by matching your items with people who need them most.
Legal Aid ACT OPALS Diary
The OPALS Diary 2024 is a free legal resource that combines a calendar diary with essential legal information tailored to issues affecting older people. With 5,000 printed copies available and a digital PDF link on the Legal Aid ACT website, this initiative aims to empower senior Canberrans with knowledge about their legal rights. Find a pdf version of the diary at legalaidact.org.au/opals
The Smith Family Xmas Appeal
Canberra region VIEW Clubs are calling on the community to help raise funds for The Smith Family’s Christmas Appeal, to ensure thousands of students experiencing disadvantage can be supported with their education in 2024. The appeal aims to raise $5.3 million nationally to provide more than 12,600 children access to critical learning and mentoring programs to help them stay engaged and motivated at school. More info: thesmithfamily.com.au or call 1800 024 069.
CWA Christmas Stall
Gungahlin Branch of CWA will hold its annual Christmas Stallon Saturday 9 December 9am-1pm in Gungahlin Village (Coles complex). A lovely variety of things will be on offer: baked goods, jams, pickles, relishes, lemon butter, chutneys, knitted/crocheted items, gifts, jewellery, and CWA merchandise including cookbooks and tea towels. Payment by cash and card accepted. More info: [email protected]
Rotary Christmas Markets
Rotary Club of Tuggeranong Christmas Markets on Sunday 10 December 5-8pm at Vikings Club, Lanyon. There will be stall holders selling tasty Christmas treats, handmade items, including jewellery, adult and children’s clothing and accessories, toys, cards, homewares, framed photos, and lithographs. Joseph, our award-winning Town Crier, will be there to help stir the fun! There will be a live band, sausage sizzle, coffee van, a performance by the Sing Australia Choir, and a special appearance by Santa. Club members will be available to answer any questions you may have about joining Rotary.
Overeaters Anonymous (OA)
Do you eat when you’re not hungry? Do you go on eating binges for no apparent reason? Is your weight affecting the way you live your life? OA meeting on Fridays at 6.30pm, Downer Community Centre. Call 6231 4171 for more details.
Christmas Carols
Mt Rogers Community Christmas Carols Sing-along is on Friday 15 December from 5pm. Bring a picnic or choose from our BBQ options. Christmas songs old and new. Plenty of parking off Curley Street, Spence. Poor weather alternative is inside (BBQ included).
Proudly supported by St Paul’s Ginninderra and Mosaic Baptist Churches.
Carols in Town Park returns to Tuggeranong Town Park on Sunday 17 December 4-8pm, presented by the Tuggeranong Salvation Army. Free; salvationarmy.org.au
Music for Christmas
The Canberra Choral Society (CCS) will present its Christmas concert, Hodie Christus Natus Est, at Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest on Sunday 10 December 6pm. This wonderful Christmas celebration will feature beautiful choral music and carols from the Middle Ages to the modern day, directed by Dan Walker, CCS Music Director, with accomplished Canberra musician Dr Anthony Smith on organ and piano. Come and join in the spirit of the Christmas season. Tickets $30-$50 (+bf) via trybooking.com/1141305
Country Women’s Association (CWA)
Queanbeyan Evening Branch: Our next meeting is on Tuesday 12 December 7pm at the Ladies Bowling Club, Queanbeyan, preceded by optional dinner at 6pm at Campbell & George across the road. The CWA aims to improve conditions for country women and children. We reach that aim in various ways including lobbying for change, helping the local community, creating a network of support and meeting together. New members are always very welcome. More info: email Branch Secretary, Shiloh, via [email protected]
VIEW Club
Belconnen Day: Our next meeting is our Christmas meeting on Tuesday 12 December 11.45am at Raiders Club, Holt. Cost $32. Bryan Butler will entertain us with some Christmas and other songs. RSVP to Chris on 0438 878 120 by 7 December 12 noon.
Charity Stall
Relay for Life Team, the Bold Bandannas, will hold a stall at Belconnen Markets on Saturday 16 December 8.30am-4.30pm to raise funds for cancer research, prevention and support services. In addition to our homemade preserves, including sugar-reduced and lemon butter, children’s dress-up clothes, hand knitted doll’s clothes, covered coat hangers, crocheted hand towels, we have an extensive range of Christmas fare: hampers (with home-made contents), puddings, cakes, shortbread and rum balls. Also plants and worm wee for your plants. We are the sole seller of a children’s book called Who Took the Egg? which would make an excellent present. More info: call Jan on 6231 0761.
Kmart Wishing Tree
Kmart Australia has launched its 36th annual Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal together with founding charity partner, The Salvation Army, once again calling for support with any gift or monetary contributions in-store and online until 24 December. The Salvation Army is anticipating this Christmas will be one of the busiest they have seen. Research shows that previously comfortable Australians are now struggling to pay rent, transport, food, childcare and education, with 22 per cent of Australians significantly struggling – and more than 760,000 Australians will be living in poverty this Christmas. Since its launch in 1987, the Appeal has raised more than 10 million gifts for people doing it tough, with close to 400,000 gifts being collected and nearly $300,000 in funds every year.
Big W Giving Tree
Big W’s annual Giving Tree has returned to stores, inviting customers to help families needing a little extra support this year. Until Christmas Eve, customers can place an unwrapped gift under the Giving Tree at their local Big W, who has partnered with Good360 Australia to match all 177 stores with a local charity. This year’s Giving Tree will support 106 organisations across Australia, including women’s shelters, youth centres, homeless shelters and children in hospital.
HYH submissions
Submissions to our free Have You Heard community noticeboard are reserved for charity, not-for-profit and community organisations. Deadline for submissions is 10 days prior to the Thursday edition date. Email your submission with essential details – who, what, where, when, cost, contact details – to [email protected] with ‘HYH’ in the subject heading. Flyers and attachments not accepted. Due to space restrictions, please keep it brief. Please note: publication in print is not guaranteed.
