SHERBROOKE CAMPS PROJECT
By Parents Without Partners (Victoria) Inc
This article is about the Sherbrooke Camps Fund that provides opportunities for members and children of PWP Victoria to attend camps each year with the main criteria being their participation in the State F.I.T.A.P. competition.
The Sherbrooke Branch used to function in Melbourne’s Yarra Ranges area in the foothills of the Dandenong ranges on the eastern fringe of Melbourne’s metropolitan area. This branch had been a very large branch in the years 1970 – 1990. The branch had been able to negotiate a grant from the Urban Land Authority to buy a property in Tecoma near where the famous Puffing Billy Steam train operates. This house was situated on a rather steep block, however the members (approximately 350), took turns at maintaining and improving the house. Under the terms of the land grant, the house was required to be kept open to the public as a drop-in centre. The members decided in the early years to provide short term emergency accommodation for members and occasionally members of the public who had been made homeless for a variety of reasons.
After a few years the steepness of the land became a major problem for the members. It was decided that they needed a property with easier access. As luck would have it, they were able to obtain such a property in the main street of Tecoma on the Burwood Highway. This house was funded from the sale of the previous house and also by the members who ran an Opportunity shop and took turns to staff the shop and also to put on various functions at the house including a Sunday and Wednesday night meal.
The members were able to erect one emergency unit at first and eventually three units each with its own shower and toilet facility for the increasing number of people needing emergency shelter. These units were built from fibro cement with the appropriate permits obtained from the council. These units were in constant use for about 15 years until the idea was floated by some of these members to get a purpose-built set of emergency housing units built.
The new units were opened in 1992 in North Croydon and still operate to the present day at no cost to PWP members.
In 1994 PWP Victoria had to become an incorporated body, and with that change all assets in the name of PWP were brought under the control of the State body.
However, back at Sherbrooke Branch, the number of members gradually declined from about the early 1990’s to the point that there was about 15 or less members in the final few years. These members were only using the house for meetings once a month and for a weekly games night each Wednesday. A decision was made to hold the Annual General Meeting of Members of Victoria at Sherbrooke House in 2002 to give the branch members a chance to put their case as to why the house should be kept available for that branch.
It was moved and passed that the house would be sold and the proceeds invested. The members set a limit of 80% of the interest earned that could then be used in any year to provide camps for members and their children. The volunteers who run the op shop were asked if they would be willing to continue to raise funds for this venture and they enthusiastically agreed to this request. This has enabled the funds to continue to grow along with the remaining 20% of the interest. This fund was named as the Sherbrooke Camps fund to remind members of the wonderful people that put their heart and soul into the house and emergency house project in the early years.
The Sherbrooke Camps fund has been used over the last two years to enable members and their children who have achieved either a first or second place at State level of the F.I.T.A.P. competition to attend the Easter National Conventions. This convention was held in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales in 2005 and in our nation’s capital (Canberra) in 2006. We have also run a State family Camp in January 2006 at Lake Eppalock near Bendigo in central Victoria with another camp set for January 2007.
Yours in PWP friendship
STEPHEN KELLY [Life Member (Victoria)]
Past President of Parents Without partners (Vic) Inc
