Photo above: Jessica Staines Director of the Koori Curriculum, Tracey Duroux Community Programs Aboriginal Medical Service and Natalie Cordukes Director of Uniting Paddington Children’s Centre. 

This year the Koori Curriculum decided to partner with Uniting Paddington Children’s Centre to coordinate a Christmas Drive for the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) in Redfern. The Aboriginal Medical Service is a multi functional not for profit organisation that delivers a broad range of programs and community services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

In early November the call was put out to Sydney Early Childhood Services to take part in the Christmas Drive. Whilst we expected there would be some uptake of the initiative we grossly underestimated the quantity and quality of gifts that we were about to receive. In early December we realised that a drop off point was needed and Petersham TAFE generously offered their college. It wasn’t long until a whole classroom was filled to the brim with gifts galore.

Photo Above: Some of the donations that we received and the wonderful volunteers. Left to Right; Lyn Concord West Rhodes Preschool, Natalie Paddington Children’s Centre, Samantha Paddington Children’s Centre, Kiri Paddington Children’s Centre, Jessica Director of Koori Curriculum, Tacey Duroux Aboriginal Medical Service and Faymarie Leichhardt Council. 

Photos Above: Debbie Zappia Head Teacher of Child Studies Petersham TAFE and Jessica Staines Director of Koori Curriculum packing food hampers, Children from Hopskotch Kindergarten, Phil from the Transport Team at the Aboriginal Medical Service, Faymarie from Leichhardt Council and fellow volunteers from Explore & Develop Norwest, Paddington Children’s Services and Concord West Rhodes Preschool. 

The gifts that were collected reached and supported over 200 families and countless children.

We can’t thank those that contributed to making this drive a success enough!