24th June – 4th July 2025
The past two weeks at Fletcher Street Cottage have been filled with preparation for Naidoc Week celebrations and the upcoming Homelessness Week in August. In that time, we’ve supported over 500 people and welcomed over 18 visiting services to provide essential support to our community. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to.
Highlights:
- On Wednesday, Victor and Maddi attended the monthly Service Coordination meeting, joining key stakeholders across the homelessness sector. We had the privilege of meeting Keeley Goldrick, Executive Director of Future Focus Support Coordination, to discuss how we can better support clients who are on the NDIS while also experiencing homelessness. Keeley shared valuable insights with our team, which will help us continue to provide better services for this vulnerable group.
- Maddi met with the Lennox Head Lions Club on Friday. The Lions have been incredible supporters of Fletcher Street Cottage’s Women’s Space and are hosting a Charity Golf Day on 17th August at the Byron Bay Golf Course. While the main beneficiary will be The Buttery, Fletcher Street Cottage will also receive support from the event, which has raised over $150,000 for local community projects over the past 15 years.
- We were grateful to have Tegan, our monthly volunteer hairdresser, visit us this week. Tegan has been offering free haircuts to our Fletcher Street Cottage visitors for years, and it’s always a joy to see the smiles she brings to our clients.
- Our Art Space and Women’s Afternoon sessions continue to provide a creative outlet and a safe space for our community. This week, clients enjoyed creating collages, working with clay and using watercolours. These sessions have become a therapeutic way for our clients to express themselves and connect with others.
- On Thursday, Anna and Cat from Byron Community College visited us to inform our service users about the free courses they are offering. We’re excited about this new partnership, which will help our clients gain valuable skills and access educational opportunities to improve their lives.
- Friday was also a special day as Damian, our Manager, joined Louise O’Connell for her final show on BayFM: Byron Listens. Going forward, Damian will be hosting this show each month. We look forward to hearing his voice and perspectives on air!
- NAIDOC Week is next week, and we’ll be celebrating with the community! We’ll be attending the March on Thursday and setting up a stall with the End Street Sleeping Collaboration. We hope to see you there!
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.
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