Bowral Interactors providing warmth and shelter for the homeless

PICTURED: Rotary Club of Bowral-Mittagong Youth Director Robbie Allen, Bowral Uniting Church member Lucy Earl, Shelterbags Australia Rotary Patron Mary Crammond and BHS Interact Club President Chloe Ward.

The spirit of giving was well and truly alive at Bowral High School on Wednesday, March 12, when members of the school’s Interact club witnessed the handover of 10 Shelterbags they had raised funds to buy.

By Donna Jones
Australian Community Media

At a cost of $1,000 each, the Shelterbags were purchased from the Rotary Club of Bowral-Mittagong through its Shelterbags for the Homeless project.
The students watched on with pride as members from the Rotary club presented the Shelterbags to representative for Bowral Uniting Church, Lucy Earl, who will pass them on to those in need.

Mary Crammond, Rotary Patron of Shelterbags Australia, unrolled one of the backpack-like Shelterbags for the students to see and
learn about.

The lightweight, waterproof and portable makeshift sheltered beds have a pillow and built-in mattress.
They also have room for an extra blanket or sleeping bag inside and pockets to store items underneath for safekeeping while sleeping
at night.

The Shelterbags provide protection and warmth to those sleeping rough – a much-needed respite for anyone sleeping out in the elements, particularly in cool climate areas such as the Southern Highlands.

PICTURED: Members of the Bowral High School Interact Club recently raised $10,000 to purchase 10 Shelterbags for the homeless.

Bowral High School Interact Club, mentored by coordinator Christine Sands, has been running for a little over 10 years. Members work together to perform important community service in support of those less fortunate.

Bowral High student and president of the Interact club, Chloe Ward, joined the group in Year 7 because she wanted to give back to others.
As the years have progressed, being a part of the Interact club has also given back to her.

“It’s great to feel like a part of something,” Chloe said. “And to have connections with people in our larger community, such as the Rotary Club of Bowral-Mittagong.

It’s taught me so much about compassion and empathy. It gives you a greater perspective of the world outside the confines of the school community.

The students were told that homelessness in the Highlands can be hard to track, as rough sleepers in the region tend to keep out of plain sight or couch surf.

Bowral Uniting Church has bathroom and laundry facilities and has homeless people coming in each week to have a warm shower and do some laundry.

Through chats when they visit, the church has a good first-hand understanding of homelessness in the area, which will help them distribute the bags to those who need them most.

The Shelterbags have made a long journey from their place of manufacture in South Africa to Sydney to the Southern Highlands.

The Rotary Club of Bowral-Mittagong will serve as the distribution base and continue to send them out through other Rotary clubs, homeless outreach agencies and community organisations.

The number of people experiencing homelessness in Australia has grown 5.2% in the past five years, with women and children, as well as Indigenous Australians, bearing the brunt of the housing crisis.