Frequently packed to the rafters with second-hand baby goods, Roundabout Canberra is on the hunt for a new location so they can continue to help local families.
Founded by Hannah Andrevski, Roundabout Canberra started in February last year and has been based out of the Sports Club Kaleen, thanks to the generosity of the Eastlake Group.
“It was exactly what we needed when we were establishing ourselves and finding our feet and we wouldn’t have been able to do that without this space,” Ms Andrevski said. “But now we are just at the point where the number of orders we are receiving is just growing significantly.”
Ideally, Ms Andrevski said they would like to source a warehouse-style location with car access, parking for volunteers, and around 300-400sqm of space.
“We are hoping that we can find someone who is willing to not necessarily offer us a space for free but give us subsidised rent.”
Roundabout Canberra provides an opportunity for people to donate their pre-loved baby items which are then donated to families in need. The charity currently works with about 40 local services.
Ms Andrevski said some of the items they struggle with the most are single and double prams suitable from newborn, as well as cots and bassinets. Winter clothes, particularly jackets and coats, are currently in demand, while there is also a need for clothing in larger sizes of 5 to 12 years.
She said if people would like to donate larger items, such as furniture or prams, or items with safety standards they “would be grateful if they could contact us in advance”.
While they look full to the brim, Ms Andrevski said for the most part the stock is constantly moving. However, on occasion there are a number of items “with quite minor issues” but it can “take time to source parts from the manufacturer” before those items are repaired, ready to go to a new home.
“We do safety check all items that have Australian mandatory standards to make sure they are safe to pass on to families,” Ms Andrevski said.
And while Roundabout Canberra’s focus is on helping children and families, Ms Andrevski said their secondary focus is recycling, reusing and repurposing wherever possible to reduce waste.
“Since starting in February 2018, Roundabout Canberra has helped 596 children from 352 families from across Canberra and surrounding region and diverted 4.75 tonnes of waste that would’ve otherwise gone to landfill,” she said.
For more information about volunteering or how to donate, visit roundaboutcanberra.org
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