2022 EVENTS
'What Women Want' Panel Event
On Thursday 9 June, Melbourne Women’s Fund delivered a sold-out event titled ‘What Women Want’. Featuring Tania Farha (CEO of Safe and Equal), Jeanette Large (CEO of Women’s Property Initiatives), Dr Emily Porter (Senior Research Fellow at the Brotherhood of St Lawrence) and moderated by Julie Reilly OAM (CEO, Australians Investing in Women), this panel discussion focused on the crucial issues of women’s homelessness, family violence and economic security.
This was an intensely engaging and educational event with much audience interaction. It’s worth viewing to appreciate the complex and interrelated nature of these issues and learn about the dynamics underpinning them. To view the panel discussion, click here.
Special thanks to Perpetual Private, whose sponsorship made the event possible. Our thanks also to Just Gold Digital Agency, which filmed the event pro bono for their Invisible Woman Project in partnership with the City of Melbourne.
Indigenous Cultural Awareness Workshop
On Tuesday 3 May, MWF held its first Indigenous Cultural Awareness Workshop, with valued sponsorship from Bendigo Community Bank Elwood. Its aim: to give MWF members and guests the opportunity to become more aware of Aboriginal culture to better understand the issues faced by First Nations’ organisations and people.
Presenters Josh Wanganeen and Drucilla Morgan from VACSAL (Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited) created inspiring, insightful and thought-provoking content. The event’s venue—the Koorie Heritage Trust rooms overlooking the current and traditional meeting place of Birrarung (Yarra River) and Federation Square—further enriched the workshop experience. In this beautiful setting, social and intellectual exchanges continued over morning tea by Bunji Catering, a corporate catering venture with certified Indigenous ownership and management.
Extremely positive participant feedback called for more events of this kind. The workshop identified significant topics to pursue: the importance of dadirri – deep listening; belonging, connectedness and communication from the heart; as well as strategies for empathy and being better allies and champions. This was a rich experience of insights and learnings that engaged everyone involved.
Welcome back Celebration Dinner
The MWF Welcome Back Celebration Dinner was held on the 24th February at The Terrace in the beautiful Botanic Gardens, South Yarra.
A perfect late summer evening saw a wonderful turn-out of members and guests gathering at the Ornamental Lake for drinks and canapes – all enjoying the thrill of socialising once more.
Director and Chief Executive of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Professor Tim Entwisle, kindly welcomed us and reminded us just how truly amazing our local botanic gardens are.
We then sat down and enjoyed some light-hearted entertainment provided by comedian Alex Ward. There was a buzz in the room throughout dinner as we enjoyed fine food and company.
The evening was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate being together again, to welcome new members and to get excited about our work ahead supporting vulnerable women and families in our community.
Melbourne Women’s Fund is a Charitable Fund Account of Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation