Women’s Afternoon, Buttery Open Day and Yarning Circle

‍From the Cottage: Women’s Afternoon, Community Partnerships and Health Support

13th May – 16th May 2025

This week at Fletcher Street Cottage, we’ve been focused on launching new initiatives, strengthening community partnerships and providing essential services to support those in need. Here’s a look at what’s been happening.

Highlights:

• We proudly launched our first Women’s Afternoon this week. The Women’s Afternoon is a quieter time for women to access services, share food and conversation, create art together and connect with essential community support. Women have the opportunity to access laundry and shower facilities, emergency relief and specialised services. The afternoon was a great success, and we’re excited to see this initiative grow. A huge thank you to the donors who made this possible and to the Mullumbimby Women’s Resource Service for partnering with us on this.
• On Thursday, we attended the Buttery’s open day, where residents shared their stories, the Buttery choir performed, and we toured the grounds. The Buttery offers vital support to those living with alcohol and substance misuse and mental health conditions. Their programs are incredibly valuable in supporting our clients, and we are grateful for the ongoing partnership.
• Friday saw NSW Health provide a Liver Clinic, Hep C testing day, at Fletcher Street Cottage. Hep C is now fully treatable, with treatment fully funded by NSW Health. We’re grateful to NSW Health for providing this crucial service and supporting our clients' health and wellbeing.
• Our Community Support Workers attended the Yarning Circle around Sexual Violence training by Women Up North. This culturally safe, Indigenous trauma-informed training focuses on community-centered approaches to supporting Indigenous survivors of sexual violence, helping to better equip us in our work.
• We also met with Byron Community College to discuss training and education opportunities for Fletcher Street Cottage clients. This partnership will provide our clients with the skills, confidence and employment opportunities needed to rebuild their lives.
• This week, we supported 236 clients, including one who phoned to express his gratitude: “I just wanted to phone and express my gratitude. I have never experienced this kind of service and care anywhere else in Australia. It made a big difference to my life knowing you cared so much about my situation.”

‍About Fletcher Street Cottage

Fletcher Street Cottage is a community hub in the heart of Byron Bay, offering essential support for individuals facing homelessness and hardship. Our services include nutritious meals, access to showers and laundry, advocacy, health services and more, all aimed at helping our clients move toward stability and self-sufficiency. With the support of our dedicated team, volunteers and generous community partners, we’re working every day to make a positive impact.