Mission Australia
Charity
Donate via PayPal
Featherweight packs a double whammy |
| 09 November 2011 | ||
Ever wondered where old mattresses go when they die? If they’re lucky they end up at Mission Australia's new Featherweight recycling enterprise in Bellambi where they’re reborn as punching bags. One of a growing number of Mission Australia social enterprises based in the Illawarra that aims to tackle the two issues of waste and local unemployment, Featherweight was officially launched on Tuesday at an on-site ceremony. Among the guests at yesterday’s launch were representatives from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), Disability Employment Services, Mission Australia Community Services as well as local Job Services Australia providers. Guests were treated to a demonstration of how cotton stripped from old mattresses and clothes from our Big Heart op shops are used to fill punching bags, goalpost pads and sports equipment. The filling machine, constructed by the Illawarra’s own JME Engineering, is believed to be the only one of its type. The finished punching bags and padded equipment is then packed off to Spartan Sports, based in nearby Warilla. Featherweight builds on the success of Soft Landing, a social enterprise that strips mattresses of all their useful, recyclable parts such as timber and metal. It received Australian Government funding via the Innovation Fund, which is a component of Job Services Australia. The business targets employing local job seekers who are Aboriginal or who have a disability. Over a two-year period the Featherweight team will comprise 11 trainees, 10 casual staff and also provide 40 work-experience positions. Featherweight’s green contribution In the next three years, Featherweight is expected to divert 985,680kg of product from landfill and into punching bags, and will recycle more than 677,680kg of steel. This equates to 1,663,440 kg of product diverted from landfill.  |
News Updates
| Living with teens - north-west Sydney information nightsWednesday, 23 May 2012Mission Australia's Clifton Adolescent and Family Solutions (CAFS) and Youth Connections, in partnership with Hornsby Council, the GP Network and the Hills Schools Industry Partnership, are presenting a free series of information nights for parents living with teenagers.
The program will provide parents and carers with an opportunity to... + Read Full Story |
Miller Pathways celebrate Families WeekMonday, 21 May 2012Mission Australia’s child and family service in the Liverpool area, Miller Pathways, celebrated Families Week on Friday by hosting a free Community Fun Day.
The Federal Minister for Human Services, Senator Kim Carr, Federal Member for Fowler, Chris Hayes, and Mayor of Liverpool Wendy Waller all attended and officially opened the... + Read Full Story | More News Articles | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |