Worth their weight in cash

“That is a lot of rubbish” said one of the people that donated to the fundraising campaign run by two eight-year-old girls over the past few weeks.

Indigo Lucas-Mumford and her friend Elliette McGuirk are frustrated at the amount of rubbish around the streets and instead of walking past it or complaining about it they have taken it upon themselves to do something.

On their walk to and from school and throughout the weekends they have been cleaning up for a cause.

With the full support of their families, Indigo and Elliette have been asking people to show support for their rubbish collection and to donate money to the Bass Coast Community Foundation Women for Change fund.

They even took it upon themselves to write a letter to the centre manager at the Wonthaggi Plaza seeking a donation as they had picked up seven bags of rubbish in one sweep through the plaza carpark one afternoon.

“Rubbish pollutes the world and if we pick it up we can recycle some and use it for better stuff than to ruin the ecosystem,” Indigo said.

This may sound like a familiar story.

Last year Indigo and Elliette raised just over $500 for Women for Change to help improve equity for women across Bass Coast, by collecting rubbish off the streets.

This year they have already raised just over $650 and are still waiting for ‘potential’ donations from businesses around the areas they have been picking up rubbish from. They have collected a small mountain of rubbish.

Women for Change is an initiative formed in 2019 by women in Bass Coast who aim to use their collective resources to help other women in the region make positive life changes and take steps towards greater well-being.

Currently grants of up to $2500 are available for projects supporting women and girls within the Bass Coast. These grants are only available thanks to the efforts of people like Indigo and Elliette and generous donors of Bass Coast Community Foundation. Organisations with projects that support and improve the lives of women and girls are encouraged to apply for a grant now. Details are at www.bccf.org.au/news.

Donations for Indigo and Elliette’s campaign can be received through the Bass Coast Community Foundation at the Bendigo Bank (BSB: 633 000 Account: 118 762 418 Reference: W4C K22) or by credit or debit card at www.givenow.com.au/womenforchange. Email info@bccf.org.au for a tax receipt for all donations over $2.00.

These girls are worth their weight in cash so please be generous and show your support. The environment and women of Bass Coast thank you.