Women’s Friendship Café at PICAL

A new Women’s Friendship Café has started at the Phillip Island Community and Learning Centre in Cowes.

Friendship Café Coordinator Donna Boucher started the group in February, meeting once a week at PICAL’s new Warley Avenue home, Wednesday 9.30am-12.30pm.

“We all start by sitting around having a cuppa, tea or coffee and just having a chat. We share stories about our lives and we discuss a lot of subjects,” Donna says, adding women can drop by or stay the three hours.

No booking is required and there is no limit on numbers and so far about 10 women across all ages and all backgrounds have joined, from young mothers in their mid-20s, to a woman in her 80s who felt isolated, as well as new residents to the island.

Donna brings fruit, cakes, dips and biscuits, adding flowers to the table, and so there is a gold coin donation.

She has already created a book exchange and in coming weeks will offer scrapbooking through to vision boards, while there are plans to teach knitting, cooking and self-defence and add guest speakers.

“It’s a fun place for women to gather, with no criteria to join. It’s about meeting new people and having a space where they feel comfortable to come to, with no judgement, to laugh, cry and ponder.”

Donna is a life coach and says it’s “part of my nature to ask questions,” but the café is not about her job.

“My life experience and my coaching skills help women but it’s not the focus.”

Background

Several years ago Donna was recovering from a painful divorce when she joined a women’s friendship group in Pakenham, which had up to 40 women and which she loved so much she eventually co-ordinated.

“Through the divorce I lost a lot of friends and family and had to start again,” she says.

“I made a lot of friendships in that group. It lifted me up and I realised that this is my calling: to help other women, whether they’re going through divorce or other circumstances or just after a friendship.”

The mother-of-three and grandmother-of-one moved to Cowes last year, quickly seeing the same need for a friendship café here, for women to make time for themselves.

So far the PICAL group has discussed favourite movies, children, grandchildren, pets, and “other things we have loved or not liked so much in our lives” and a chat about menopause “had us in fits of laughter”.

“Talking with other women helps to embrace the changes of body and life, and to be gentler as we age.

“There are several experienced women to guide us with their wisdom. We talk about life experiences, whether you’re a mother or a single women.

“The café can also be a place where you can escape from the difficult things in your life for an hour or two, to just stop have a break and say hi to some friendly faces or seek guidance for help in areas of your life

“You are surrounded by help at PICAL and we can refer you to the appropriate resources.”