Gabbies Sewing Angels
Ten years ago four ladies began sewing garments after seeing a friend, who was home on leave from volunteer work in Africa, making baby matinee jackets and ladies shifts. She explained that the new born babies usually went home from hospital wrapped in newspaper.

Now after ten years the group has expanded to twenty four people of all ages. Whilst composed mostly of ladies, who love to put their sewing talents to work, four of the members are men.

In 2012, we approached this group, who works in St Gabriel’s Church hall on Stoney Creek Road, Bexley with a request for assistance. What was happening in Africa ten years ago is happening in Cambodia today !

How did Carl's Scholarship become involved?

Tom Morley, a recipient of Carl's Scholarship in 2011 completed a placement under the guidance of the Australian NGO LifeOptions. Upon his return he explained that babies and children were in desperate need for clothes from birth to adolescence and how he was trying to assist.

We contacted LifeOptions and opened another door ....Gabbies was only too happy to help and last year made hundreds of garments, particularly clothing for new borns, which was loaded onto containers or carried by volunteers to those in need in rural Cambodia, where clothing, clean water and basic food supplies are still beyond the reach of many families.

In 2013, Gabbies has continued their fantastic support and is now making a second batch of clothes, mainly of wraps for babies. This is in response to a recent request from Denise Love of LifeOptions who said that "all the wraps were now gone".