On 31 May, Lou’s opened its doors to welcome donors, allied services and friends to see its new, larger and more accessible premises in Redfern. The evening was designed to give everyone a glimpse of what life at Lou’s is now like. General Manager Mandy Greaney welcomed everyone to walk around the service and talk with the staff about the therapeutic programmes they lead. These include our drop-in service, our family and domestic violence programme 'Choice and Change,' as well as 'Always Mum,' a programme that helps mothers whose children have been taken into out-of-home care.

Volunteers were also there to explain the activities they lead, with examples of work that clients had chosen to share. There were paintings and powerful examples of creative writing, as well as pieces from the much-loved sewing and jewellery making groups. Healing happens in many different ways at Lou’s, and the community and social acceptance of our activities play an important role in our holistic approach. By far the most moving part of the night was a short speech by Ting Ting, one of our regular visitors to Lou's Place, who wished to share her story of recovery as a way of thanking everyone who supported the service - and her.

Photographer: Amanda Lawson

Life at Lou’s