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Boomerang Bags Stanthorpe

A sewing group, but really it’s about the people

Sometimes support doesn’t look like support.

Boomerang Bags Stanthorpe is a volunteer group that takes reclaimed fabric and turns it into reusable bags and other useful things. The bags are only part of the story though. It’s also a place to meet people, learn something and spend a few hours doing something worthwhile together.

What they do

Boomerang Bags Stanthorpe started in 2016. They take donated materials that might otherwise end up in landfill and give them another life as reusable shopping bags, free library bags for local school kids and other bits and pieces for community organisations. In their first ten years they made more than 17,000 bags.

They’ve also made casket liners for our Daisybox caskets. I love that fabric someone was about to throw out can end up as part of a farewell.

The group is self-funded, not-for-profit and run entirely by volunteers.

You don’t have to know how to sew

This is probably the most important thing to know.

You don’t need to be a sewer.

There’s plenty to do besides sitting behind a machine. People sort fabric, cut, iron, prep pieces, help with the different stages of making a bag, or just come along and be part of the group. If you can sew, they’ll be glad to have you. If you can’t, they’ll still be glad to have you, and you can learn as you go.

It can be about something other than grief

One of the good things about a group like this is that nobody has to walk in saying, “I’m struggling.”

And gradually, without anyone making a big deal of it, you become part of a group of people who notice you’re there. If you’re lonely, newly retired, living on your own or finding your feet after a big change, that can matter more than you’d expect.

Come along on a Tuesday

Boomerang Bags Stanthorpe meets every Tuesday from 9am to 2pm at:

The Summit Hall
101 Granite Belt Drive
The Summit QLD 4377

You don’t have to stay all day. Their invitation is simply to turn up for as little or as long as you like.

You can donate fabric too

Been cleaning out the linen cupboard or sewing room? Boomerang Bags Stanthorpe can give some of it a second life.

They accept clean:

A small tear or stain is fine, but it needs to be clean and free from mould, oil or contamination.

If you’re clearing a Deceased Estate , this can be a meaningful way to pass on fabric rather than just throwing it out.

A reason to get out of the house

There are lots of formal support services, and they’re important. Sometimes though, what a person needs is a bit less formal.

This page is provided by Rest as a starting point, not as a substitute for professional or crisis support. Services and operating hours can change, so check Boomerang Bags Stanthorpe’s current information before relying on a particular service.