News
June school holiday fun
18.06.2013Wesley Mission Brisbane, in conjunction with the Gold Coast City Council, run many exciting school holiday programs. If you are in the Gold Coast area these school holidays and are looking for something fun to do, check out the centres and programs below....
Flexible child care to support local families
02.05.2013BRISBANE parents who work shift-work and irregular hours will have access to flexible child care options from July. Wesley Mission Brisbane's Family Day Care services have been named as one of three Family Day Care services in Queensland to participate in...
NABS agency of choice
22.04.2013Wesley Mission Brisbane is pleased to announce they have been awarded the National Auslan Booking Service (NABS) contract for another three years. NABS is funded by the Australian Government to provide interpreters free of charge to people who use sign language...
April School Holiday Fun
02.04.2013Wesley Mission Brisbane, in conjunction with the Gold Coast City Council, run many exciting school holiday programs. If you are in the Gold Coast area these school holidays and are looking for something fun to do, check out the centres and programs below....
Harmony Day 2013
26.03.2013March 21st was Harmony Day, a celebration of the cultural diversity of Australia and its citizens, and Wesley Mission Brisbane participated in the festivities. Little Marchants Child Care Centre at the Wheller Gardens site at Chermside involved the children...
Patrick Passfield taking it one step at a time
15.03.2013At 72 years of age, Jacobs Court resident, Patrick Passfield is doing a virtual walk from his Sinnamon Village aged care community to Cairns. The 1,750 kilometre walk is a feat for anyone, but when Patrick arrived at Jacobs Court in July last year he was in...
2012 Campaign for Change winner announced
19.02.2013The 2012 Campaign for Change winner was announced on Wednesday evening. For more details check out the media release here and photos from the event here.
Centenarians reminisce on their lives in Australia
31.01.2013FOUR residents from Wesley Mission Brisbane's aged care communities featured in a Courier-Mail Australia Day story last weekend. Gleam Harney and Norah Collie from Sinnamon Village aged care community and Ellis Bramley and Rene Gills from John Wesley Gardens...
Wesley Care Tewantin opens on the Sunshine Coast
31.01.2013SIX younger people living with disability, who have complex care needs, have had their New Year wish granted with the opening of Wesley Care Tewantin on the Sunshine Coast. Wesley Care Tewantin, a purpose built home funded by Disability Services Queensland,...
Wesley 'Open House' impresses
11.10.2012Hunreds of visitors came through Wesley House and Albert Street Uniting Church last weekend, in conjunction with Brisbane Open House 2012. Wesley House is Brisbane’s first 5 Star Green Star 9 storey commercial building. The building is situated on prominent...
Research grant presents opportunities
11.10.2012Wesley Mission Brisbane has been awarded an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant in partnership with Griffith University. This has enabled a research project to take place in Wesley Mission Brisbane aged care communities to look at improving the quality...
Community Meal welcomes new coordinator
11.10.2012Community Meal, a weekly meal service offered at Fortitude Valley by Wesley Mission Brisbane, has welcomed new coordinator Angela King to the program. The service provides people with a three course, sit-down meal every Wednesday and the kitchen regularly...
AFTM wraps up at Brisbane Festival
11.10.2012Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Art from the Margins has enjoyed great success at this year’s Brisbane Festival. Art From the Margins Manager Tony Anderton, who has been with the program since 2010, says the exhibition has grown both in terms of the...
The story of a pilgrimage
02.10.2012Words by Superintendent Minister Lyn Burden A few weeks ago I had the privilege of taking a little ‘stroll’ (400kms) across Northern Spain along the Camino de Santiago de Compestela. It’s a pilgrimage that people have been taking for over...
Dancing fit for any age
09.08.2012Jan Manning, a Leisure & Lifestyle Coordinator at Parkview, was inspired to start dance classes at Uhl Hall after being told she had two left feet. "We started in 1998, with a dancing teacher coming in to oversee the project. In the early days, residents...
Keeping well in later years
09.08.2012There are many physiological and mental changes that happen as we age, that can affect our lives in many different ways. It’s important to keep on top of these changes and understand them in order to stay healthy and happy. Diet is one of the most crucial...
Long-term volunteer treasures aged care community
09.08.2012Long-term volunteers can often be a rare find, but Brian Hopewell has been volunteering for a grand 15 years at Wesley Mission Brisbane. The retired plumber was searching for something to fill his days and when his mother moved into St Marks aged care community,...
Second Better Practice Award for Anam Cara
23.07.2012Wesley Mission Brisbane aged care community Anam Cara has received a second ‘Better Practice’ Award for a suite of new initiatives aiming to empower and retain staff members. The award comes from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency....
Aged care companions
03.07.2012All Wesley Mission Brisbane aged care communities strive towards the Eden Philosophy of living. This philosophy means that we ensure the elders in our care have the opportunity to age with dignity, as well as encouraging them to engage with their community....
Rising STARH in preventing homelessness
03.07.2012“We support families, couples, and individuals at risk of homelessness by helping them to sustain their tenancies,” says Janet Maroney, explaining the work of the STARH (Supporting Those at Risk of Homelessness) project. Janet is the Program Coordinator...
Respite for struggling mums
08.06.2012Beenleigh Family Centre is a hub of information, resources and support for young families. The multipurpose centre provides early childhood education, health care and community connections to families in the local area with children aged from newborn to eight...
Hadden Place recognised for excellence in dementia care
29.05.2012Wesley Mission Brisbane has been shortlisted for the International Dementia Excellence Awards, which will take place in the Novotel Darling Harbour, Sydney, on 28th June. The awards celebrate the significant work being undertaken to support people with dementia...
Dunamis Lui takes Broncos to Anam Cara
08.05.2012Story from Broncos.com.au: Broncos forwards Dunamis Lui, Josh McGuire and Brendon Gibb visited Anam Cara last week. The trio took the time to meet with residents and staff to thank them for their continued support. "It's important to show our fans that...
Youth Week a cause for celebration
03.05.2012Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Youth Space wrapped up last month’s National Youth Week with a free festival on April 21. The "Party in the Park" aimed to celebrate young people of the Beenleigh and Eagleby communities by offering them an opportunity...
John Wesley Gardens celebrates 50 years
03.05.2012John Wesley Gardens, our aged care community at Geebung, will celebrate 50 years of care this month. They will mark the occasion with residents and staff as well as former staff who now live in the community. A former Matron of the home, Sheila Rees, is now...
Wesley Mission Brisbane recognised by Aged Care Queensland
05.04.2012Three of Wesley Mission Brisbane's residential aged care communities have received awards at the Aged Care Queensland State Conference on the Gold Coast. Awards were received across the sectors of Excellence in Care and Environmental Sustainability. Excellence...
Emerging artists' success
03.04.2012In 2011, Heiser Gallery founder and director Bruce Heiser personally selected six artists from Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Art From The Margins program and invited them to participate in a mentoring program. Many months of dreaming, creating and hard work...
Friends of Hydrotherapy dive in
03.04.2012Sinnamon Village’s Hydrotherapy Pool has been operating for nine years, and in that time it has made some life-long friends. Among them is Ann, who has been living with Parkinson’s disease and Arthritis. "Swimming in the pool is the only exercise...
Reconnecting with art at 99
03.04.2012Burt Hobson was a late bloomer when it came to art. When he began to draw at age 76, he discovered a wealth of artistic talent that had laid dormant for most of his life. He had a brief stint with the craft of drawing, before moving onto painting with oil...
Growing need for youth support
03.04.2012Homelessness is not something that is restricted to adults. Young people experiencing homelessness have a more difficult time finding safe and secure lodging than older people, and are more at risk of experiencing a continuous cycle of disengagement. Logan...
Finding purpose through helping others
03.04.2012Louise Remmerswaal, a 44 year old mother of two, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) 11 years ago. According to the MS Society, over 21,000 Australians have been diagnosed with MS. There is no known cause or cure and the disease is always unpredictable....
Parkview receives Environmental Award
22.03.2012From Fulton Trotter: We are proud to announce that Wesley Mission Brisbane was today awarded an "Aged Care Queensland Environmental Sustainability Award: Built Design" at the 2012 Aged Care Queensland Conference on the Gold Coast. The Residential...
Circle of Men offers safe space
16.03.2012Last month, Sinnamon Village’s Albert Court introduced a new program thanks to the support of the Rotary Club. The program, “Circle of Men”, is a social initiative aimed at creating a social and safe space for men to talk. The circle offers a space...
Mentoring program engages local artists
15.03.2012In 2011, Heiser Gallery founder and director Bruce Heiser personally selected six artists from Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Art From The Margins program and invited them to participate in a mentoring program. Many months of dreaming, creating and hard work...
NABS interprets for Obama
15.03.2012US President Barack Obama’s visit to a Darwin RAAF Base on the 17th November 2011 proved to be both a privilege and a challenge for NABS Interpreter Liz Temple. With three and a half hours notice and NABS call centre staff providing as much up to date...
Support for struggling families
15.03.2012The Youth At Risk Alliance (YARA) is a program that offers integrated and coordinated services for young people with complex needs aged 10 - 17 and their families. Over the past two years, the Youth At Risk Alliance team has continuously advocated for a family...
OzHarvest Brisbane sows goodwill
02.03.2012OzHarvest’s newest branch, operating out of Brisbane, has had an inspiring first six months. The food rescue program picks up unwanted excess food from supermarkets, restaurants and other food outlets and delivers them the same day to charities feeding...
A mission for the Mission
02.03.2012On January 30 this year, Channel 10 launched the One Million Kilo Challenge, self-described as the “biggest mass health and wellbeing initiative ever undertaken on our shores”. At the time of writing, 1,613,872 kilos had been pledged to disappear off...
Australian spirit shines through
09.02.2012Wesley Mission Brisbane showed true Australian colours this Australia Day. Balmoral Uniting Community Centre was awarded the Griffith Australia Day Award for community service and several of the centre’s volunteers won individual awards. Moreton Bay...
Student captures the 'life of a centenarian'
09.02.2012Each year, Wesley Mission Brisbane welcomes a group of talented individuals from Griffith University to take part in a unique experience. The Griffith University / Wesley Mission Brisbane photographic competition encourages photojournalism students to tell...
OzHarvest Sydney Presents the CEO Cook Off!
19.01.2012OzHarvest has joined forces with Qantas and Mission Australia to present the CEO CookOff – bringing together hundreds of Chief Executive Officers to cook for 1000 Sydneysiders in need. The event will take place on the evening of Monday 6 February 2012...
Hadden Place in Sunday Mail
13.12.2011A wonderful story in Sunday Mail from last month. Read it here!
Little Marchants fosters friendships
14.11.2011Little Marchants Child Care Centre has arrived in a very special and unique environment – an aged care community. Little Marchants, so named after the historic Marchant cottages in which it is housed, is a boutique style childcare service that looks...
Young mum overcomes challenges
14.11.2011Being a teenager is difficult enough, but the added pressures of pregnancy can add stress that’s often too much to bear. Beenleigh Family Centre’s Young Parents Support Program is an invaluable resource for many young women who have little or no...
A remarkable journey
14.11.2011Few people have lived through more extraordinary circumstances than former prisoner of war Sandy Suceveanu. Sandy currently resides at Wesley Mission Brisbane’s aged care residence, Cooper House, on Brisbane’s North Side. It’s a long way...
Youth Space recognised
14.11.2011Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Youth Space at Eagleby has received "Organisation of the Year" at the annual Eagleby Achievers’ awards ceremony. Youth Space was presented the award for their E-Youth Positive Lifestyle program, an initiative...
Hadden Place receives linkage grant
14.11.2011Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Day Therapy and Respite Centre, Hadden Place, has received a linkage grant with Griffith University through the Australian Research Council. The collaborative project will provide new knowledge about how applied theatre practice...
Providing relief in tough times
14.10.2011Rose* was living day-to-day in fear for her life at the hands of her abusive partner, contemplating suicide as her only way out. Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Emergency Relief service provided her with the fare she needed to travel to safe accommodation....
Corporate Volunteers add colour to Family Centre
11.10.2011Nine volunteers from National Australia Bank (NAB) generously donated their time to help Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Family Centre at Beenleigh. The group painted the Centre’s fence with a colourful alphabet motif, and did some gardening and cleaning....
Running in support of youth
11.10.2011Wesley Mission Brisbane’s atheletes pooled their efforts last month and took part in the 10km run for Bridge to Brisbane. Tracey Hollis, Michelle Hillary and Amanda Stevenson made up a team and raised over 200 dollars. They decided to donate their money...
Care that changes young lives
11.10.2011Over six thousand young Australians with disabilities are currently living in aged care homes because there is little alternative. There is an urgent need for a specific, tailored care residence where young people can live their lives, explore their ambitions...
Multicultural festival introduces diversity forum
06.10.2011By Louise Hughes. A host of Southside-based acts will showcase their talents at this year’s Queensland Multicultural Festival at Roma Street Parkland on Sunday, October 16. Multicultural Affairs Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said songs will be performed...
Caring for Kids a success
23.09.2011The Youth Support Coordinators Program on the Gold Coast has created a six-week Caring for Kids course for high-school students around Beenleigh, giving them the opportunity to learn about child development, child health & safety, protective behaviours,...
Bethesda celebrates 50th anniversary
23.09.2011Bethesda Caring Centre celebrates 50 years of service on October 21st with a special anniversary gala in honour of the occasion. The centre has contributed a great deal to the Brisbane community and the event will be a chance to thank staff, volunteers, friends...
OzHarvest plants seeds in Brisbane
23.09.2011OzHarvest grew from a community need to reduce the amount of food that goes to waste. Founder and CEO Ronni Kahn decided that she could not stand by and watch as the twin problems of food waste and hunger co-existed. After researching options for dealing with...
New beginning for Sudanese refugee
23.09.2011Philip Omot found Wesley Mission Brisbane after being placed to complete his Certificate III in Aged Care. He is now studying a Community Service Diploma and volunteers once a week at aged care residence Cooper House. Philip moved to Australia from Africa...
Painting for peace of mind
21.09.2011Trent Quinlan’s artistic expression began as a therapy technique and has since evolved into a lifelong passion and career path. As a sufferer of Bipolar, a complex mood disorder, Trent sought reprieve from his condition through painting. As he practised...
NABS wins Australian Business Award
26.08.2011National Auslan Booking Service (NABS) has been recognised among Australia’s most progressive organisations, winning the Australian Business Award for Public Service in 2011. The award recognises the contributions and achievements of public service institutions....
Art from the Margins gets Totally Wild
23.08.2011Art from the Margins will appear in their television debut this September on Totally Wild. The show will feature AFTM's Solar Printmaking Workshop and will air on the 14th of September at 8:00 am. Episodes can also be viewed online at www.totallywild.com.au...
Youth worker’s Sierra Leone mission
19.08.2011Forty-year-old Vandy Kamara is a Youth Worker with Wesley Mission Brisbane on the Gold Coast. He emigrated from West Africa three years ago and in December returned to his home country Sierra Leone for the first time. With $8000 he had saved, Vandy purchased...
Peter Rowe - a man of art
19.08.2011For nearly 30 years, Peter Rowe could communicate only on a very restricted level because his speech is severely affected by Down Syndrome. All that time, his family and friends, believed he had very little understanding and comprehension. However, his life...
Community hub recognised for outstanding service
02.08.2011WMB's Balmoral Uniting Community Centre has been awarded the Quest Newspapers' Business Achiever's Award in the "Community Service & Non-Proft Organisations" category. This year marks the fifth time that BUCC has been awarded the top spot in...
Student volunteer recognised in Queensland training awards
27.06.2011Krishelle Piscopo, a year 12 student from St. Rita’s College, volunteering at Wesley Mission Brisbane's John Wesley Gardens, has been selected as a regional finalist for the Vocational Student of the Year Awards. The Queensland Training Awards aim to...
Parkview - State architecture recognition
27.06.2011A year after completion, one of Brisbane's newest, biggest, and most advanced aged care facilities has received its second industry recognition award, this time at a state level. Parkview, Wheller Gardens, was awarded a Queensland State Commendation in the...
Sinnamon Village Therapy Centre celebrates 8 years
20.06.2011June 20 -24 will see weeklong festivities at Sinnamon Village Therapy Centre, celebrating 8 years of hydrotherapy and community service. Each year has marked a different focus for the celebrations. This year the focus is “personal stories” – the...
70 years celebrated
15.06.2011A whirlwind romance at a Goomeri, South Burnett dance led to 70 years of happiness for a Chermside couple. Bill and Joan Enright celebrated the occasion at Wheller Gardens with some of their three children, seven grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Having...
Window pays homage to ex-cleric's 100 years
15.06.2011From: Bill Johnston, Northside Chronicle, June 15, 2011. A long-serving Uniting Church Minister has celebrated his 100th birthday in Kedron. Ellis Bramley lost both his parents at a young age and moved to Brisbane with his three sisters and two brothers to...
Historic Chermside landmark to be given a new lease on life
06.06.2011Wesley Mission Brisbane is set to expand its diverse range of community child care services with a progressive new centre to open on the historic Chermside landmark, Wheller Gardens. The Wheller Gardens site first opened in 1936, when it was known as The Garden...
MailpaQ on the road to flood recovery
30.05.2011Wesley Mission Brisbane’s MailpaQ centre has been supporting people with disabilities for over 30 years, through the delivery of a mail and packaging service to the general community. The service, located in Rocklea, provides the opportunity for people...
Stories to tell - AFTM refugee exhibition
16.05.2011Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Art from the Margins program presents Telling Stories, an exhibition of artwork from Queensland’s refugee community. The three day exhibition, to be held at Wesley House from June 17 – 19, aims to provide a voice...
Volunteers make a difference
08.05.2011From active retirees to community minded professionals and students looking to gain experience while helping others, volunteers come from all walks of life and play an important role within Wesley Mission Brisbane. 800 people volunteered their time within...
Love thy neighbour - small grants boost Gold Coast region
30.03.2011The Branch Out Small Grants Program, managed by Wesley Mission Brisbane, has recently rolled out community and healthy living grants to a number of grassroots groups in the Gold Coast region. The program aims to support short-term projects that can help those...
Pancakes raise funds for the floods
24.02.2011Pancake Day is alive and well and living in the spiritual heart of Brisbane, at Albert Street Uniting Church, this March 8 from 8am to 11am. Armed with barbeques, a marquee, and a dose of goodwill and heart, volunteers from the Albert Street Congregation will...
Jobseekers able to Focus on Future for another year
19.04.2010Another 60 disadvantaged jobseekers from around Logan City will receive assistance from Wesley Mission Brisbane's Future in Focus project in the next 12 months. It will the second year in a row that jobseekers have benefited from the program thanks to continued...
More than a mural - a life-expanding experience for Eagleby youth
07.04.2010Engaging youth in afterschool activities isn’t always easy. Handing them an aerosol-can may sound counter-intuitive but for those who have been part of the latest Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Youth and Community Combined Action program (YACCA) the...
