Mitcham Fair

by Jo Jordon and Andrew Tidswell

On Sunday 27 October 2013 the annual Mitcham Voices of the Village Fair was held at the Mitcham Cultural Village on Princes Road. This year the theme was Multiculturalism so there was a range of international food, presentations of dance and music, art and craft displays as well as stalls showcasing local community organisations.

Not one, but two stalls were organised by Sustainable Communities at the fair. The Blackwood and Belair groups displayed photographs and items that reflect their environmental and community activities, with a focus on recycling and re-use of materials.

The Mitcham Plains group sold plants; seedlings and cuttings with an emphasis on water-wise plants. They displayed a quote by Tim Sansom to connect with the theme: ‘Gardening… a journey which connects distant lands, peoples and cultures.’ The proceeds from the sale of the plants was donated to the Moore Street Mission, a community that works with the homeless.

Beth Walton met with the Mitcham Council environmental officer, Natalie, before the fair to talk about how waste would be managed, and on the day Beth volunteered to do ‘bin patrol’. Beth said that the segregation of rubbish was much better managed this year, with very few items needing a guiding hand.

Most important of all, at both stalls were friendly faces of members to talk about what we do and to offer a brochure with an invitation to join us.  This fair prompted the three Mitcham groups to produce new brochures highlighting local sustainability initiatives, our activities and how to contact us.

The Fair, organised by Mitcham Council, offers local groups an opportunity to work cooperatively with Council and our local communities and to maintain a focus on sustainability.   We appreciate the support given by the Mitcham Council, including their Environmental Sustainability Officer Natalie Iglio and Waste Management Officer, Gemma Chambers.