Fashion festival helps out

Docklanders would have noticed the temporary arch erected at the entrance of Central Pier for the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) last month.

The structure went up in a flash and came down in a frenzy on Saturday, March 17.

And in less than three days following that, the timber was being used to pack second-hand hospital beds into a shipping container bound for East Timor.

The timber was kindly donated by festival organisers to Rotary’s Donations in Kind (DIK) project which operates out of a warehouse in West Footscray.

DIK spokesperson Lawrie Fisher said the donated timber was perfect to make up framing for the goods being packed for needy overseas projects.

He said the L’Oreal arch revealed a considerable amount of timber framing and cladding which was recycled as framing to hold goods in position during transit.

“We’re currently turning it into frames for a dozen hospital beds bound for a St John of God project in East Timor,” he said. “All in all, we couldn’t have asked a better deal.”

The timber was first spotted by a Docklands Rotarian who approached Central Pier and was put onto the correct contact within the festival organisation.  

Fashion festival organisers were only too happy to donate the timber, which would have otherwise been discarded.

Docklands Rotary runs a project through the DIK warehouse to collect, pack and send specific second-hand goods to needy people in Fiji.  Currently, the club is seeking baking materials.

Mr Fisher thanked LMFF for its generosity and also Docklands Rotary for keeping an eye out for opportunities to receive second-hand timber. He said DIK was constantly on the lookout for timber to be used to pack containers.  Mr Fisher can be contacted on 0428 550 574.

Docklands Rotary is also hosting a prospective-members’ information lunch between 12.30pm and 1.30pm at Watermark in Victoria Harbour on Tuesday, April 17 with free finger food and orange juice.

Enquiries should be directed to Adrian Stanners on 0434 071 990.