January - Kalbarr Project Launch
Our latest Kalbarr: Schools and communities project aims to connect primary schools in the Maribyrnong Council area to those in remote communities.
Pictured are students of St Johns Primary School participating in the project, councillor Catherine Cummings MP, Ms Daniela Deluca (St John’s Family Engagement Co-ordinator) and Books n Boots Co-founder and Chair John Harding. Thank you Maribyrnong City Council for supporting the project.
February - Boots to Borroloola, NT
In February, we were honoured to send some football boots to the Borroloola community through the John Moriarty Foundation.
0ver 1000 books were also sent to the Borroloola School and childcare centre for redistribution. The books and boots were donated during the Melbourne Covid lockdown of 2021 and kept in storage until restrictions were lifted. Thank you to everyone involved in the massive effort.
March -Aunty Joan on her book run for the children of Cherbourg (QLD)
In May we sent 500 books to the children of Cherbourg Aboriginal Community. (QLD) .
Pictured is Aunty Joan from Bundjalung Country, doing her book run, with a boot full of books kindly donated by the Churches of Christ Burleigh Op Shop.
This would not have been possible without our Aunty Joan. Thank you Aunty 🖤🖤🖤
April - Launch of the Aunty Eleanor Harding Tutoring Program
We launched our Aunty Eleanor Tutoring Program! The program provides support to First Nations children across Naarm.
The service is FREE thanks to our wonderful volunteers. Children receive one-on-one sessions for literacy, maths and general support with homework. The sessions incorporate cultural activities and children's literature written by Blak authors.
Sessions take a relational/ mentoring approach with the intent of building confidence and strong and proud cultural identities for our Booris ❤💛🖤Meet Ellie, one of our volunteer tutor!
May - First shipment to Western Australia Noonga Boodja
In May, 700 picture books left Naarm and were shipped to Noonga Country (WA). This is the first time for Books n Boots! A big thank you to our board member Tammy, who individually distributed these books to the communities across WA
June - 1000 books sent to Katherine, NT
We delivered another 1000 books to the booris in and around the Katherine area, NT. KICS are doing the ground work and taking them to 17 isolated communities as an addition to their remote mobile playgroup work. Each blue bag contains booksnboots books. Just look at those faces 😁. Thank you to Mandy, Tiffany and Sophie for your incredible work
July - Hello Palm Island (QLD)
Look what happened during NAIDOC week - the booris on Palm Island got some books!!
500 books were collected, sorted and sent to Lucinda from Naarm, and shipped via a barge to Palm island. The Palm Island Project was proudly supported by the Morris Family Foundation. Thank you to Amy Huva from the foundation for the incredible support. Look at the smiles :)
August - Kalbarr again!
West Footscray Primary School donating over 1200 books to Books n Boots as part of the Kalbarr Program. Thank you to Teacher Daniel Whiting and the the grade 4 students for your deadly work!
September - 300 books to Parnngurr Community School (WA)
With the support of Clayton Murray-Mitchell who works at the Jamukurnu Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation, we connected with Parnngurr Community School. 300 books were individually hand picked to meet the needs of the booris.Parrngurr Community is 370km from the nearest town Newman, located in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia.
October -Over 1200 books to Naarm booris
We would like to acknowledge the wonderful staff at Bubup Wilam Child and Family Centre for their warmth in welcoming us this year. This is our first partnership with an First Nations controlled community and child care centre in Naarm. We were able to stock their library and send books home to the booris.
Pictured is Shar Shar during this year’s Childrens Book Week. She brought home the best costume award! The first ever face of Books n Boots at aged 4. We are so proud of you little Shar Shar 🖤💛❤️👏👏👏👏
November - Boots up to Alice Springs
In November, we connected with the Richmond Institute in Naarm and sent up 20 pairs of boots to Alice Springs. This is the first of many shipments as we start our journey with the communities in and around Alice Springs. The combined effort began when Luke Murry from the Richmond Football Club contacted us requesting support for the children and young people in Alice. A big thank you to Michelle (Richmond Institute) for picking up the boots and co-ordinating the logistics.
December - One deadly year
We are very proud of our achievements in 2022. In total, the Tiny Treasures program has delivered 7600 picture books to 11 communities/areas. We delivered our first shipment of 400 books to a Youth Justice Centre and covered 4 states and Territories.
We launched the Kalbarr Project and the Aunty Eleanor Tutoring Program while making waves in strategic planning and welcoming three deadly First Nations female board directors (Marla, Lisa and Tammy) from three states.
All of this was achieved while we mourned the loss of Uncle Archie and Uncle Jack; rest in peace and dreaming.
We would like to thank our volunteers, donors, and sponsors. The endless conversations are all part of the Impact we have achieved and will continue to achieve.
We are glad to have our flag back. Always was, always will be.
January - book collection
We were off to a great start with a perfect team and a vision that we can really make a difference in the lives of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young children. It really was "the PERFECT thing"
February - 400 books rehomed to Latje Latje country
Koori kids with their new books!! ❤💛🖤These books were donated by libraries and community donors across Naarm, collected and packed by Books 'n' Boots volunteers in February, and driven up to Latje Latje Country to be re-homed
February - Our first ever fundraiser event
the lead up to National Close the Gap Day, we hosted our first-ever official FUNDRAISER! The event was held at the gorgeous Thornbury Picture House, with a special screening of 'In My Blood it Runs'
SPECIAL GUEST: our Patron and AFL Legend, Derek Kickett 🤙🏾
April 2021
We got a write up in the local paper!! Thanks to the Tweed Valley Weekly for featuring this story on Books 'n' Boots 🥳
Two of our NSW volunteers will drive by truck from Murwillumbah on Bundjalung lands to Toomelah, Mungindi and Wilcannia to rehome approx. 2000 books!
April continued - NSW Road Trip
Notes from the Road Trip:
"After dropping 630 books in Toomelah, and having a yarn and quick cuppa with the teachers, the Books 'n' Boots team headed 173km West through Gamillaroi Country to the town of Mungindi.
While Toomelah was nestled within lush, green scrub like a mini oasis or small wetland in the middle of the bush, the road to Mungindi was almost immediately dry and vast, with bright blue sky above and kilometres upon kilometres of cotton crops in every direction you looked. The team even saw groups of Thinawan/Dhinawan (emu) in amongst the crops!
About 1pm the team arrived in Mungindi. Such a beautiful little community and school. Michaela welcomed us and decided to open up the boxes of books, and organise sessions for each age group of kids to come through and choose some books they would like to take home and keep! Books 'n' Boots provided 730 books for Mungindi, and there were so many smiling faces as the kids came through and carefully made their selections - the library was bustling!!"
May -Covid Lockdown didnt stop us
Naarm went into a 7 day snap lockdown which extended until November 2021. While this was difficult for the team at Books n Boots, we continued to receive book donations via the post. Look at all the goodies!
We collected, sorted, and waited. We took this opportunity to connect with communities, and let them know that we will deliver the books as soon as restrictions eased.
June-
THANK YOU to Lindisfarne primary on Bundjalung Country who specially donated 15 boxes of beautiful books to BnB as part of Reconciliation Week!
Our deadly NSW volunteer Aunty Joan headed up to Lindisfarne this week to collect the books and hang out with some of the local preschoolers 🥰
July - Live on ABC Radio National
We went live on the Life Matters program on ABC Radio National.
On 2nd July at 9.25am, our deadly co-founders John Harding & Tara Newen talked about the creation of Books n Boots, our journey so far, exciting next steps, and how you can get involved 🖤
August - 1000 books sent to Katherine, Northern Territory
1000 books that were sorted and packed with love on Wurundjeri Country by our Victorian volunteers ARRIVED in KATHERINE, NT!!
Katherine Isolated Children's Service (KICS) who provide a mobile playgroup for isolated mob in the NT will be delivering these books out to Community in conjunction with their work. We are SO excited to be partnering with KICS to get these much needed books out to some of our most isolated kids & families 👌🏽
September - Thank you! Thank-you! Thank-you
Our postal book donations kept rolling in during September. We were still in the midst of Covid-19 with Victoria extending it's restriction for the whole state.
We kept focused and stayed positive, waiting for the end to lockdown.
October - yay! our books reach the booris
So soo excited to see our first lot of books have arrived up in Katherine NT and to see so many happy bubs with smiling faces!! 🖤
Thank you to the Katherine Isolated Children's Services - a deadly mob who deliver a mobile playgroup in the remote region of Katherine. They also help us distribute these gorgeous books to the booris.
November - Annual General Meeting time :)
Look at this deadly Team! That time in the year when we get a chance to come together, reflect on the year that was 2021, share incredible food, and get excited for the new and exciting year ahead.
Pictured is our board directors, Simon, Jenni, Tara, and John. Also in the picture are bottles of emu oil and 1970s ceramic op shop finds. 😍
December - Family, Friends and Community
We came out of Covid restriction stronger and did not miss the chance to reconnect with loved ones.
2021 was a wonderful year and we would like to acknowledge our behind the scenes supporters in 2021:
-Tabitha and the Besen Foundation
-Tara from Proud Poppys Clothing
-Caitlyn from DustinKoa Arts
-The First Nations Writer's Network and Creative New South Wales and the wonderful Cathie Craigie.
To all the schools and community groups (there are so many of you, and you know who you are!).
To the individual donors: a special mention to Jenny and Maria, our monthly supporters.
To the participating libraries and local council areas.
Finally, our dedicated volunteers: Simon, Jenni, Steve, Aunty Joan, John, and Tara. Our impact would not be possible without you!
