Qualified hairdresser Nga knows a good haircut is priceless.
A regular volunteer at our community centre at St Mark’s Fitzroy, Nga’s main role is cutting our homeless clients’ hair. It is common for her to cut up to 15 people’s hair in one shift without a break.
Nga is ably helped by volunteer, John. He organises the timetable, the clients and equipment, and makes sure everything runs smoothly and to time.
Run mainly by volunteers, the centre is a partnership between the parish of St Mark’s and Anglicare Victoria.
In addition to Nga’s free haircuts, the centre provides a hot lunch each weekday, showers and washing facilities, volunteer tax help, an on-site Centrelink worker, help with PBS prescriptions and food parcels.
For many of the people who visit the community centre, it’s also the closest thing they have to a sense of belonging.
The links between the church and the centre are close and some parishioners and clergy help out in the centre. Other Anglican parishes and schools provide crucial donations of food, help and other items to the centre.
