St Mary’s mini market a major milestone

Good Works Crew member Julie Moyle said the group was “heartened” by the support shown by the community.

“It was a wonderful success,” Julie said.

“The atmosphere was wonderful, with parishioners and the general community coming along to support us.”

The market featured an inviting mix of stalls selling homemade cakes, relishes and preserves, books, plants and crafts, alongside face painting, a children's corner, a sausage sizzle and a relaxed morning tea.

Several stalls proved particularly popular, with the relish stall and cakes both selling out.

A highlight of the morning was a group of young St Mary’s parishioners who performed throughout the event, with singing and instrumental performances helping create a lively atmosphere.

“They brought a lot of joy and a lot of energy,” Julie said.

“They were quite a highlight to the day really. They were a focal point for people to come and have a coffee and then listen and browse the stalls.”

Julie said the performances, which included singing and instrumental music from several young groups, were well received by the crowd.

“The music going all day just added an atmosphere, just a happy vibe really,” she said.

The Good Works Crew was established to raise funds for parish projects, with the inaugural market focused on helping fund an accessible toilet closer to the church.

The parish already has an accessible toilet in its parish centre, but organisers said its distance from the church could make access difficult for people using wheelchairs, walking frames and other mobility aids.

The new facility would also be a welcome improvement for members of the broader community attending funerals, weddings and other services at the church.

Julie said the fundraiser was not launched with a specific financial target, as the parish is still determining the eventual cost of the project.

“We’re on our way to a disability toilet. That’s what we’re aiming for,” she said.

“We just wanted to get the ball rolling.”

While the finer details of the project are still being worked through, the Good Works Crew acknowledges that further fundraising will be needed to see it through.

The Good Works Crew is now considering whether the mini market could become an annual event, with a meeting planned to discuss the group’s next steps.

Julie said the inaugural event had demonstrated the community’s willingness to support the parish’s fundraising efforts.

“We just hope that we can run it annually, and we look forward to the support of the community when we run another one,” she said.

The organisers extended their heartfelt thanks to the stall captains, volunteers, performers, parishioners and community members who so generously gave their time and talents to make the day a success.