Sally Watts

A heartfelt thank you from the BWC Board to all of our amazing BWC Members and Guests who attended our annual “Charitable High Tea” at The Emporium recently.

It was a gorgeous afternoon filled to the brim with delicious food, free-flowing drinks and so many vibrant colours and personalities.

The full photo gallery of photos, videos and 360 booth, is now available here >

You are welcome to download individual photographs from the photo gallery (not the social or 360 booth), complimentary and with thanks to The Brisbane Women’s Club and Rhubarb Photography. To purchase printed images, please contact Helen at Rhubarb Photography directly.

We were beyond thrilled to announce the winner of the 2023 Grant Receipt…

Congratulations to The Carers Foundation who received $10,000!

We are so happy to be able to support this foundation, who provide wellbeing support to unpaid family carers. With this grant, they will be able to give the unsung heroes in our community the respite needed to continue to balance their 24/7 roles as carers.

We look forward to sharing more information with you about the amazing work of The Carers Foundation!

A huge thank you from the BWC Board to all of our amazing BWC Members and Guests who attended our annual “Let’s Celebrate Saturday Soiree” event on 5 August 2023.

It was a gorgeous afternoon filled to the brim with delicious food, free-flowing drinks and so many vibrant colours and personalities.

The full photo gallery is now available.

You are welcome to download individual photographs from the gallery, complimentary, with thanks to The Brisbane Women’s Club and Rhubarb Photography.

TO ACCESS THE GALLERY

1. Go to https://rhubarbphotography.pixieset.com/2023brisbanewomensclubsoiree/
2. Enter YOUR email address and the password: bwc23
3. Click the “download” icon at the bottom of any image you wish to download and select what size image you want.
4. Repeat for each image you would like.
5. There is also a print shop within to purchase printed photos.

Applications for the BWC Grant 2023 are now open!

BWC will provide one grant of up to $10,000 to an organisation that supports Brisbane (including local surrounds) women in one or more of the following areas and makes an impact by:

• improving the lives of local women;
• mentoring and guiding women to achieve equal participation in the social, cultural, economic and political arenas of Australian life; or
• leadership and advocacy programs around issues affecting women.

Applications for the BWC Grant 2023 will be open on Tuesday 1 August 2023 and close on Friday 15 September 2023.

Enquiries or clarifications are welcome – please send to olga@bwc.org.au

What an INCREDIBLE day we had for the last event for the year, our 2022 Christmas High Tea.

The full photo gallery is now available.

You are welcome to download individual photographs from the gallery, complimentary, with thanks to The Brisbane Women’s Club and Rhubarb Photography.

TO ACCESS THE GALLERY

1. Go to https://rhubarbphotography.shootproof.com/gallery/bwcchristmashightea22
2. Enter YOUR email address and the password: bwc22
3. Click the “download” icon at the bottom of any image you wish to download and select what size image you want.
4. Repeat for each image you would like.

This gallery will expire on 30/11/2022.

We were beyond thrilled to announce the winner of the 2023 Grant Receipt – Hannah’s House.

Hannah’s House is a not-for-profit organisation in Ipswich that provides young people in crisis with recovery opportunities that are Christ-centred and focused on healing. Hannah’s House offers crisis accommodation for young women 16 – 17 years of age who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The BWC has nothing but admiration for the work this organisation does, and we are so happy to see $10,000 go towards helping their caring services.

Thank you to all applicants for the quality of their submissions and the generous work these organisations contribute to supporting women and girls in Queensland. We received many applications from many worthy causes and worthwhile programs making the decision a challenge for the BWC Grants Sub-Committee and the BWC Board. A big thanks the BWC Grants Sub-Committee chaired by BWC Director.

We look forward to sharing more information with you about the amazing work of Hannah’s House!

BWC changing the ending of domestic violence in Brisbane

The Brisbane Women’s Club (BWC) unveiled a red bench outside the Lovewell Café in Mt Gravatt as part of the Red Bench Project to raise awareness of domestic violence last Sunday 24 October.

Lady Mayoress Nina Schrinner and Deputy Mayor Krista Adams were among the guests at the event.

BWC, Red Rose Foundation, Brisbane City Council (BCC) and Lovewell Foundation joined forces to support the Red Bench Project providing a visual reminder that domestic violence is a prevalent issue in all communities.

The initiative is part of the Red Rose Foundation’s commitment to end domestic and family violence related deaths in Australia.

Red Rose Foundation, Chief Executive Officer, Betty Taylor said they hoped the daring red colour would keep the issue of domestic violence at the forefront of people’s minds generating the much needed, yet often taboo, discussions in our community.

“The benches will encourage people to stop, sit, read the plaques and bring the issue of domestic violence to people of all walks of life, whether they have been affected by DV or not,” she said.

“It’s up to all of us to have the conversation about DV in our communities and to help stop these preventable deaths.”

Brisbane Women’s Club, Chair of the Board, Leah Stangle said BWC was delighted to support the Red Bench Project that aligned closely with the club’s ethos, to make Brisbane a better place for women to live and work.

“The BWC board has worked hard with our partners to send a strong message to the community that we want to end the silence around domestic violence,” Ms Stangle said.

“The bench was installed outside the Lovewell Café, run by the Lovewell Foundation, that works with women who are rebuilding their lives to retake their place in our community.

“We couldn’t imagine a better place for our red bench to be placed, outside an organisation that’s sole purpose is uplifting women, and supporting them to regain the confidence they need to take charge of their own life,” she said.

Ms Stangle said the Brisbane Women’s Club has worked collaboratively with the Red Rose and Lovewell Foundations to make this happen with the support of the Brisbane City Council.

“Thanks to the BCC, who approved and paid for the installation of the bench, we are proud to be involved in a project that is helping women to live free from violence and abuse.”

Qld Police responded to 113,779 DV cases between July 2020 and March 2021. To date, approx 270 red benches have been installed mostly in Queensland with eight in New South Wales and two in South Australia and 30 within Brisbane. The first bench was installed on 15 May 2019 in Cleveland.

24 October 2021

Official cutting of the ribbon

L to R: Jim Boden, Red Rose Foundation, Lady Mayoress Nina Schrinner, Annie Stonehouse, Lovewell Foundation, Leah Stangle, Brisbane Women’s Club and Councillor Krista Adams, Deputy Mayor.

Jim Boden, Red Rose Foundation

BWC Board of Directors

Councillor Krista Adams, Deputy Mayor

Leah Stangle, BWC Chair of the Board

Tiffany English & Annie Stonehouse, Lovewell Foundation

Changing the ending of Domestic Violence in Brisbane!

2020 was a bumpy year for many people, including us here at BWC, who were unable to hold our members face-to-face events. However, in an effort to continue our support for the community, the Board decided to release a second grant of $5,000 in 2020 to help a local charity support local women.

Thank you to all applicants for the quality of their submissions and the generous work these organisations contribute to supporting women and girls in Queensland. We received many applications from many worthy causes and worthwhile programs making the decision a challenge for the BWC Grants Sub-Committee and the BWC Board. A big thanks the BWC Grants Sub-Committee chaired by BWC Director Niki Dowsing, and including BWC members Katelin Haynes, Michele Blanshard, Amanda Mannix and Robyn Francis, who took on the hard task of granting these funds.

We are delighted to share that the recipient of the 2020, Round 2, BWC Charitable Grant was awarded to 4 Voices (www.4voices.com.au) a local charity whose vision is for a world where any girl or woman who feels unhappy, threatened or alone can find her voice.

4 Voices does this by supporting girls and women of all ages who are socially isolated; experiencing bullying, abuse or violence; are homeless; are not connected in the digital world.  4 Voices operates a mobile van service across 10 locations in Brisbane, equipped with telephones, laptops, Wi-Fi, a printer/scanner/copier, Smart TV and coffee machine. The service provides a hub for women to drop in for much needed assistance with MyGov registration, opening email accounts, completing online forms, printing documents, writing their CV, searching for jobs, housing, medical or other support. 4 Voices collaborates with Centrelink, crisis accommodation centres, other outreach services and community centres to ensure they directly connect with vulnerable women and can provide immediate practical solutions to their problems.

Brisbane Women’s Club is particularly excited to support the 4 Voices program in Inala. The $5,000 BWC Grant, made possible by our members, will enable the 4 Voices mobile van service to visit the community of Inala on a weekly basis for a year. At each shift, participants will be provided with free access to Wi-Fi, computers, phones, morning tea and non-judgmental conversation. The service will be provided by a team of volunteers operating from the customized van, equipped with facilities that can provide practical support to women requiring this connection.

We look forward to sharing more information with you about the amazing work of 4 Voices!  Any questions or interest in volunteering to support 4 Voices, please email Niki Dowsing at niki@bwc.org.au