Wollondilly visitor Jane Rasmussen comes to the Illawarra to babysit her granddaughter and always makes a point to visit Vinnies Fairy Meadow. Photo: Region.
Three months after a freak storm wiped out its inventory and ruined the floors, Vinnies Fairy Meadow has reopened with new stock, fresh flooring and a whole lot of joy.
Customers streamed through the doors with enthusiasm to peruse racks and shelves of clothes and accessories, homewares, toys, books and much more, carefully curated in the months following April’s natural disaster.
Their delight was only matched by the store’s staff and volunteers who, when not helping with the clean-up efforts, worked in neighbouring areas while the shop received a major renovation.
Staff and volunteers have been curating the selection for months to ensure the revamped store has plenty to excite treasure hunters. Photo: Region.
North Wollongong Hub Manager Lisa Kallas, who manages the team that sorts, prices, packages and sends donations to the area’s stores, says bargain and treasure hunters would be thrilled by the freshly stocked store.
“We’ve been curating since the storm took this store out in April. We sent about 20 boxes of dresses, 60 crates of books and 40 crates of knickknacks and bric-a-brac over the last 10 days as we got ready for the grand opening,” she said.
“We’ve had teams setting it all up since we got the keys back on the 5 August, and it is fabulous to see it all laid out and to see so many people turn up.”
More than just a place to shop for secondhand goods, Vinnies Fairy Meadow is the first in NSW to host a donation chute, providing members of the local community with an easy way to drop off their preloved items.
The golden rule of donating applies, however; “If you wouldn’t give it to your mate or family member, we can’t use it,” Lisa says.
In addition to the usual wide range of high-quality preloved and new goods the store always stocks, new bedding has been added as well as a range of homewares made from recycled textiles – another hat tip to Vinnies’ circular economy approach.
Vinnies NSW Area Manager Sarah Harris says the opening showcases a complete transformation after the devastation of the storms.
“We had to throw everything in the bin because it stank of creek water; it was a huge stock loss. The water had seeped into the slabs so we needed to rip everything up,” she says. “It’s taken us about three months to get to this stage, but we’re all very excited to be back.”
Shopper Loretta says locals are stoked to “finally get their store back”.
“I just live around the corner and used to come here all the time. Everybody is so pleased it’s opened again because we were devastated when it closed, and we’ve missed it,” she says.
“This is a very important shop. There are a lot of older people in this area that really don’t have anywhere much to go, and places like this become important social hubs. The staff are always so lovely, I’ve always been made to feel welcome, and I love the quality of the clothes and goods.”
Vinnies shops raise critical funds for the society every year, to help people at risk of or experiencing disadvantage.
In the past year, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW assisted over 12,000 individuals in the Illawarra region and distributed more than $1.5 million in financial and material assistance to residents in need — nearly 40 per cent more than the previous year.
Of the people reaching out, 92 per cent needed food assistance and 40 per cent were experiencing housing stress.
New to Vinnies Fairy Meadow is a range of homewares made from recycled textiles. Photo: Region.
The operation is made possible only with the help of dedicated volunteers, like Fairy Meadow’s Debbie Laird, who says Vinnies volunteering is mutually beneficial.
“I had worked for Services Australia for 20 years before retiring and got bored … volunteering at Vinnies is a social thing for me. I’m someone who enjoys company,” she says.
“You get a lot of the same customers coming in and you get to know them and that’s wonderful.
“I really love working here. It’s a great atmosphere; it’s like a family. If you’re thinking about volunteering, do it – you’ll love it, trust me.”
Vinnies Fairy Meadow is located at Shop 1, 138 Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow. Locals interested in volunteering with Vinnies Fairy Meadow can apply online or visit the store to meet the team in person.
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