Want your event listed? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication.
Patch work
Hobsons Bay council is continuing to host its free drop-in sewing repair ‘Love It? Mend It’ sessions into 2023. Attendees are welcome to bring along a well-loved piece of clothing or soft toy and work with a sewing repair specialist to fix it. Saturday, February 11 and Saturday, February 25 from 10am at the Louis Joel Arts & Community Centre at 5 Sargood Street in Altona.
■ www.eventbrite.com.au/e/love-it-mend-it-free-drop-in-sewing-repair-sessions-tickets-511322548507
Parkinson’s support
Does Parkinson’s or other neurological conditions affect you or a loved one? Parkando is hosting an information day and carers group launch event at the Newport Community Hub from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday, February 25.
■ parkando.org.au or Pam, 0417 690 335
Musicians wanted
Established in 1979, the Westgate Concert Band is seeking new members. Do you play woodwind, brass or percussion and are looking for a welcoming place to play enjoyable and challenging music? Rehearsals held Saturday mornings during school terms, 9am to 12noon at Braybrook College.
■ westgateconcertband@gmail.com
Free English conversation class
Is English your 2nd language? Do you want to improve your English skills and meet new people? Practice English conversation in informal interactive group sessions. Light refreshments provided. Mondays during school terms from 1pm to 3pm at the Altona Library meeting room at Queen Street, Altona.
■ Joe Pellone, 0431 915 970 or joepellone@gmail.com or Jill Mackenzie, 0439 994 705 or jill.mackenzie111@gmail.com
Willin Wimmin choir
Williamstown-based women’s community choir Willin Wimmin is currently welcoming new members to take part in a free no-obligation try out session. The group meets each Wednesday evening in school terms in the Church of Christ hall at the corner of John Street and Douglas Parade in Williamstown from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. There are no auditions and you don’t need to be able to read music.
Altona North Combined Probus
The Altona North Combined Probus Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Altona Sports Club. Includes a speaker, organised trips and outings, and a friendly atmosphere.
■ Lesley, 0414 481 442
Friendship group
Altona Day Voice Interest and Education of Women (VIEW) Club meets at 11am on the third Wednesday of the month at Altona RSL. The club is always open to new members, and anyone interested is encouraged to get in touch today and see what it’s all about. Funds raised for the Smith Family Learning for life program.
■ Janet, 9394 6522 or 0412 010 176
Diabetes support group
The Westgate Diabetes Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at the Altona Bowling Club at 10am.
■ Elaine, 0415 030 996
Machine Imagining
Machine Imagining is an arts project inviting the Maribyrnong community to explore the natural world in collaboration with machine intelligence. Through a series of free workshops, community members will be invited to draw creatures from the local area – plants, animals and insects. These drawings and photos will then be used to produce a community database of observations of the local, natural world, and used to train machine learning models to generate new, machine imaginings of the Maribyrnong area. They will finally be arranged into large hanging textiles, and finished with hand embroidery and displayed at Braybrook Community Hub. 10.30am to 12.30pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Tuesday, January 31 to Saturday, February 25. Free. Braybrook Community Hub, 107-139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook.
■ maribyrnong-events.bookable.net.au/#!/event-detail/ev_cab0fb250a664bad8521f34d56bf8b6a
Smartphone photography
A hands-on phone photography workshop where you will learn how to capture nature, people and scenes on your smartphone. You will be guided on a learning tour where you will see and capture local scenes, murals, people, and buildings. You will also learn about composition, a filters, exposure and more as well as handy tips from your instructor. 1pm to 3pm on Tuesdays from Tuesday, February 28 to Tuesday, April 4. Cost: $60. Braybrook Community Hub, 107-139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook.
■ maribyrnong-events.bookable.net.au/#!/event-detail/ev_f496504f59c44583a1f6c974b01a81fd
Your Career: Your Way
The ‘Your Career: Your Way’ program will run for nine weeks and is designed to help individuals explore their strengths and values, learn from industry experts and gain the knowledge and skills to become job ready. This program allows you to focus on your career needs in your own way. It aims to help give you the confidence to decide what your career means to you. From day one, you’ll connect with like-minded local people and participate in a range of practical face-to-face workshops that help you understand your own skill sets and job readiness. Registrations are now open for this free program. This program is provided in partnership with Skills and Job Centres and Victoria University. Mondays from 9.30am to 12.30pm from Monday, February 6 to Monday, April 3. Braybrook Community Hub, 107-139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook.
■ maribyrnong-events.bookable.net.au/#!/event-detail/ev_2fa6aa720a074995bd4cd86729bff201
AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club
Would you like to develop confidence in communicating, competence with language and clarity in writing? AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club would like to invite any and all residents to join them on the first and third Thursday of every month to help develop public speaking, communication and leadership skills. The group meets at the Laverton Community Hub, 95-105 Railway Avenue, Laverton from 7-9.30pm.
■ Helen Fairlie, 0474 498 052
Art workshops
The Louis Joel Arts & Community Centre presents MonArt. Workshops for people of all abilities facilitated by community art specialist Amanda Neville, Mondays 10am-11.30am. $5 casual fee each week.
■ admin@ljac.com.au or 9398 2511
West Footscray Rotary
The Rotary Club of West Footscray meets at the Medway Golf Club in Maidstone for lunch, fellowship and guest speakers each Wednesday from 12.30 until 2pm.
■ David, 0416 497 398
Walking group
The Altona Meadows & Newport Heart Foundation Walking Group is a local community of men and women committed to walking and socialising together for about 60 minutes. It meets Wednesdays at 10am at the Jolly Miller Cafe in Altona Meadows or Fridays at 10am at the Newport Lakes Reserve. Members are required to register with the Heart Foundation in order to join.
■ Ian Watson, 0411 566 862 or www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Community/Whats-On/Altona-Meadows-and -Newport-Heart-Foundation-Walking-Groups
Cherry Lake Market
Altona Lions Club Cherry Lake Market is holding a special Christmas market on Sunday, December 18. Set between Millers Road and the stunning Cherry Lake in Altona, this market has something for everyone. The market hosts more than 60 stalls selling plants, bric-a-brac, handcrafts, hot jam donuts, tools, clothing and much more. There is live music every month from the Cherry Lake Cultural Series, showcasing local musicians from across Hobsons Bay. From 9am to 1pm. Cherry Lake, Millers Road, Altona.
■ www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Community/Whats-On/Altona Lions Club Cherry Lake Market or cherrylakemarket@gmail.com
Drop in chess, cards and Scrabble
If you love playing chess, cards or a game of Scrabble in an informal and fun setting, visit Braybrook Community Centre on Tuesdays, from noon to 2.30pm.
Williamstown book sale
Friends of Williamstown and Newport Libraries hold a book sale every second Saturday of each month 9.30-12.30. The book sale is held in Friends’ Room – entrance from deck on Ferguson street. Cash only sales.
■ libraries.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au
Woodcarving workshop
Aimed at all levels of ability in the ancient and international craft of woodcarving. Women are welcome. Bring your own tools and projects if possible. Or do you have Grandpa’s old gouges to donate? On Tuesdays, 9.30am to noon, at 280 Queen Street, Altona.
Alcoholics Anonymous – Williamstown
Regular meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous are held at St Andrew’s Church Hall, Williamstown, Wednesday at 7pm and Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Newport, Thursday 6.30pm and Saturday 8.30am. All welcome including friends and family of people with drinking problems.
■ 1300 22 22 22, or www.aatimes.org.au
