Hello Members, Staff, Board and Associate Members,
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their efforts over 2025. Much has been achieved by each and every group within our Network this year and I hope that all of our members have set aside some time to “down tools” and have a break over the coming holiday period.
WULN Board and staff will be on leave from Friday the 19th December 2025 and we will be returning Monday 19th January 2026. Should you need anything urgently I can still be contacted via the usual channels.
Wishing all of our network a very Merry and restful Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you in 2026!
Jo
Operations Meeting Update
Our last operations meeting focused on Workplace Safety. All of our safety forms and template risk assessments have been reviewed and where necessary updated and Coordinators can find these on the Network Drive. We will endeavour to have these added to the website for ease of access as a matter of priority. If you have any queries or concerns about Workplace Safety, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me.
We have been successful in our grant application for Project SPROUT- Branching Out in 2026. Coordinators agreed to a similar format to Project SPROUT in 2025 and we will have a community planting blitz running from the 6th-26th July 2026 which encompasses the second week of school holidays plus an additional two week period in which to spread our community planting days. More information to come after our first operations meeting for 2026 which is on Sunday 15th February at 10.30am – Baranduda Fields Ecohub.
Equipment updates: We have added a drill, large drill bit, sledge hammer and a larger water bladder (500L) which can be utilised for watering plants in dry times to our Willow Park equipment shed.
Bart Citroen has raised the concept of WULN groups and other environmental organisations attending the Albury Wodonga Farmers Market on a roster type basis in 2026 to raise the profile of their group. The Albury Wodonga Farmers Market is held Every Saturday from 8AM to 12PM. Gateway Village, 40-42 Lincoln Causeway Wodonga 3691. In the first instance can coordinators please get back to me and let me know if their group would be interested in attending and how often they would like to attend (ie once a year or twice a year). WULN has a range of promotional and educational materials which could be utilised in a Farmers Market Stall. Please ring me if you’d like to discuss or alterntively email me to express your groups interest.
Friends of Elmwood- working bee. ALL WELCOME
Our newest group, Friends of Elmwood are holding their first Landcare working bee this Saturday 6th December from 8.30am. Coordinator Barbara Cain and her team are extending the invitation to any WULN members who might be interested in attending. Meet at the Pavilion here and you are welcome to stay for tea/ coffee afterwards.
Thanks also goes to Steel Supplies in Hovell St, Wodonga who have kindly donated materials for the group’s first “project” to build two trellis’s for the community vegetable garden.
For any queries about Friends of Elmwood, please contact Barbara via email elmwood@wodongalandcare.org.au
Reminder: First Aid Training & First Aid Kits
WULN currently has a small budget to support volunteers with First Aid Training or refresher courses. Please email Jo for more information and details of how to book. Ideally at least one member of each group should hold a current first aid certificate.
Julia Jones has been diligently checking our first aid kits and defibrillator regularly to ensure they are fully stocked and the defibrillator is always in working order. Thank you Julia for the work you do. New first aid kits will be arriving soon as our old kits are out of date and sadly the most economical solution was to buy a brand new kit. We can donate our old kits through a variety of channels but before we do that we would like to know if any groups would like a first aid kit donated for their use. While many items are “out of date/ past their use by”, the kits are actually perfectly fine for use. Please let me know if you would like a first aid kit and I can arrange to get one to you.