The Secret Stitch Society is a community organisation that hosts social sewing sessions, accompanied by a Facebook page for people to ask questions, share their creations and look for advice.
The Secret Stitch Society is protecting our natural resources by mending and making clothes rather than buying in to fast fashion and always encouraging reusing, re-wearing and recycling materials wherever possible. They support the Wearable Art Group who encourage recycling and reusing materials.
The Secret Stitch Society develops our economy in a sustainable way by organising sell and swap events in the community. They were also the coordinators behind Sewing for Safety, a campaign that saw bags and scrubs created in the pandemic and safely sent to where they were needed the most.
The Secret Stitch Society support our cultural heritage by teaching and passing on vital skills and knowledge surrounding needle craft work and the importance of repurposing and reusing to younger generations. The door is open to anyone to join and the skills that are passed on are helping to sustain our heritage by ensuring they are not lost.
The Secret Stitch Society make their environmental impact positive where possible. For example a few years back when the terrible fires in Australia happened, the Society formed a group that made pouches and nests for injured or put-out wildlife, made from recycled materials donated from the public.
The Secret Stitch Society engage with the local community in many important ways and it is one of the most important parts of their group ethos. Meeting in groups to chat, share and create is vital for mental health and the members feedback how important the sessions are for their wellbeing. Some of the elderly members do not go out as often as they used to and really value these meet ups as they make friends and keep connected. The Facebook Page kept everyone in touch in the pandemic and it was encouraged to share creations etc through the lonely period in Lockdowns. There is a symbiotic relationship in the group between the younger and older members who share and swap skills, stories and stitches.
