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Bendigo Winter Night Shelter (BWNS) Annual General Meeting Invite

Team, Volunteer Coordination21 Nov, 2025General0 comments

To our wonderful volunteers

 

A reminder that the Bendigo Winter Night Shelter (BWNS) Annual General Meeting is being held at

 

- Holy Trinity, Keck St,  Flora Hill 

- 7pm - 9pm 

- this Wednesday 26 November.

 

The AGM will include:

 

- a presentation from Andrew Cooney, CEO of the City of Greater Bendigo  

- three short discussion panels of people who have experienced homelessness, our volunteers and business partners

- music by the wonderful Peter Sandercock

- continuous supper all night 

- necessary AGM business: officeholder reports, election of 2026 officeholders, proposed constitutional change etc 

 

Please go to the BWNS website (bwns.org.au) for all the information you need for the AGM. 

 

Scroll down on the home page to a yellow section with the title "AGM 2025 Information". You will find there:

 

- Agenda for the AGM

- BWNS 2025 Annual Report

- Minutes from the 2024 AGM

- Proposed constitutional amendment

 

Please make sure you have a look at the 2025 Annual Report. It celebrates your contribution to the success of the Shelter this year.

 

Best wishes

 

Daryl Lynch, Volunteer Co-ordinator

Chais Dalton, Chairperson

The Bendigo Winter Night Shelter Update

Team, Volunteer Coordination11 Nov, 2025General0 comments

The Bendigo Winter Night Shelter (BWNS) continues its work over Spring, Summer and Autumn. 

 

1.Annual General Meeting: 7pm Wednesday 26 November at Holy Trinity, Flora Hill

 

Please note the BWNS Annual General Meeting will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 26 November at Holy Trinity, Flora Hill. Come along and enjoy:

 

- celebrating your contribution to the success of BWNS in 2025

- hearing from Andrew Cooney, CEO of Bendigo Council, about the importance of BWNS in the Bendigo community

- the voices of those who have experienced homelessness, our supporters and volunteers

- some wonderful food and music

 

Closer to the meeting BWNS will put up at our website the BWNA Annual Report and other AGM meeting material. We will let you know when this happens 

 

2.Graham

 

Many volunteers have asked about the wellbeing of Graeme. Graeme was a guest who was hospitalised at the end of the winter season.

 

Graham's health improved and he was discharged from hospital. Our partner agencies - Salvationa Army, MinisTree, MADCOW - continue to work with him

 

3. Bendigo Magazine Article

 The latest issue of Bendigo Magazine includes an article about BWNS and our guests.

 Bendigo Magazine have profiled our guests with beautiful photography.  You may see some of the guests you got to know over winter 2025.

4. Preparing for Winter 2026 

 

We are well underway in our preparations for winter 2026. We have recently purchased a new volunteer rostering system to replace Elvanto. 

 

 

Daryl Lynch, Volunteer Co-Ordinator

Chris Dalton, Chairperson

Shelter Update

Team, Volunteer Coordination14 Oct, 2025General0 comments

To our wonderful volunteers

 

The Bendigo Winter Night Shelter (BWNS) continues its work over Spring, Summer and Autumn. 

 

We won't be issuing these emails as frequently as we did when the Shelter was in operation. However once a month we will provide an update on BWNS activities.

 

1. Bendigo Magazine Article

 

This week the latest issue of Bendigo Magazine will be available.  Please look for the article about BWNS and our guests.

 

Bendigo Magazine have profiled our guests with beautiful photography.  You may see some of the guests you got to know over winter 2025.

 

2.Shower Truck

 

One of the amazing developments this year is that BWNS will be offering some services all through the year.  One of those services is a showertruck.

 

Please email our wonderful Volunteer Co-ordinator, Daryl Lynch (daryl.lynch@bwns.org.au) if you would like to be part of volunteering on the shower truck. 

 

3.Post Shelter Feelings

 

Stable One is running a “bonus” Alongsider Virtual Training session on the evening of Thursday 30 October.

David Wilson will be leading a discussion about navigating some of the more difficult post-shelter feelings. He’ll also share a Christian perspective on the nature of our work – recognising that while we can support many people, we can’t always help everyone we meet.

Please email katherine@stableone.org to receive a Zoom link.

4.Not as many shifts as you would have liked

A few volunteers have reached out and, while very happy with their volunteering, were disappointed they received less shifts then they would have liked.

We are sorry any volunteer got fewer shifts than they would have liked.  Likely this was the result of Elvanto which made rostering at times more complicated then it needed to be. We are in the process of replacing Elvanto,

5.Annual General Meeting: 26 November

Please note the BWNS Annual General Meeting will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 26 November at Holy Trinity, Flora Hill 

 6. Making a big difference: ‘One Thousand and Two Thousand’

 When your friends and family ask you what you have been doing this winter please say “One Thousand + Two Thousand’ i.e. you have contributed to an organisation that provided 1000 total nightly stays and 2000 meals to the most vulnerable in our community.

We all together operated the Shelter from 1 June 2025 until 14 September 2025 continuously for 105 days and achieved the following:

  • 1000 total guest stays keeping vulnerable people out of the cold winter

  • 2000 total meals provided

  • 54 different registered guests using the Shelter over winter
  • 430 volunteers – 330 on site at Koolamurt and at least 100 cooks from the churches
  • 5 guests have found permanent accommodation through connections made at the Shelter

  • 3 guests have found fulltime or temporary employment 

  • 6 guests have received car service/repairs through connections made at the Shelter

 2025 has been a breakthrough year for BWNS with a series of ‘firsts’:

  • we have operated for the longest period ever – we extended our season for the first time until 14 September (normally finished 31 August)
  • operating 7 days a week for the first time in years
  • largest number of guests and total stays ever
  • largest number of volunteers ever

BWNS couldn’t have achieved all this without you

 7. Closing quote
 
“Goodwill is the mightiest practical force in the universe” Charles F.Dole
 
Thanks again for volunteering.
 
Daryl Lynch – Volunteer Co-ordinator
Chris Dalton - Chairperson

Winter Night Shelter Update

Team, Volunteer Coordination15 Sep, 2025General0 comments
Thanks for all you are doing to make our 2025 Shelter successful.
 
1. Making a big difference: ‘One Thousand and Two Thousand’
 
When your friends and family ask you what you have been doing this winter please say “One Thousand + Two Thousand’ i.e. you have contributed to an organisation that provided 1000 total nightly stays and 2000 meals to the most vulnerable in our community.
 
The Shelter ended on Sunday 14th September 2025. We will have operated continuously since 1 June 2025 for 105 days and will have achieved the following:
 
  • 1000 total guest stays keeping vulnerable people out of the cold winter
  • 2000 total meals provided
  • 54 different registered guests using the Shelter over winter
  • 430 volunteers – 330 on site at Koolamurt and at least 100 cooks from the churches
  • 4 guests have found permanent accommodation through connections made at the Shelter
  • 1 guest has found Fulltime employment and a ongoing house as apart of role.
  • 2 guests have found temporary employment though connections made at the Shelter
  • other guests have received car service/repairs through connections made at the Shelter
 
2025 has been a breakthrough year for BWNS with a series of ‘firsts’:
 
  • we have operated for the longest period ever – we extended our season for the first time until 14 September (normally finished 31 August)
  • operating 7 days a week for the first time in years
  • largest number of guests and total stays ever
  • largest number of volunteers ever
 
BWNS couldn’t have achieved all this without you
 
A note from Daryl our Volunteer  Co-ordinator follows, 
 

Today marks the closing of this year’s Winter Night Shelter.

It’s a bittersweet moment — relief that the season has been completed safely, but also a heavy heart knowing that tonight many will return to the uncertainty of the streets.

This season has been full of highs and lows. We’ve seen lives touched, friendships formed, and moments of hope where people felt seen and cared for. We’ve also faced challenges — long nights, difficult situations, and the ongoing reminder of how deep the need really is in our community.

Yet, every effort, every conversation, every bed made, and every meal shared has been worth it. The shelter is more than just a roof for the night — it’s dignity, compassion, and a reminder that no one is forgotten.

To our volunteers, churches, supporters, and most of all our guests: thank you. Together, we created something powerful — a community that shows love in action.

The shelter may be closing its doors today, but the work continues. The vision of a safer, kinder Bendigo for everyone is worth every step of this journey.

 
2. End of Season
 
(a) Guests
 
We are making arrangements to provide each of our guests with a high quality sleeping bag at the end of season. We will also be providing other services to them over the coming months (showertruck, laundry, barber etc).
 
Guests also have access to a range of services provided my organisations doing complimentary work – Ministree, Mad Cow, Salvation Army, Haven Homes etc. 
 
(b) Please, please complete the Volunteer Survey
 
Please, please complete a survey on your experiences as a volunteer in the 2025 BWNS https://forms.office.com/r/LfuKZmg7U1
 
Please know that we take your feedback seriously and will be sharing the results with you. We are also asking our guests to complete a survey
 
(c) date for the diary
 
Annual General Meeting at 7pm on Wednesday 26 November at Holy Trinity, Flora Hill 
 
Volunteer Celebration Lunch: Saturday, September 20th has been cancelled due to numbers.
 
 
 
(d) Emotions at end of season
 
End of season can be a time of complicated emotions for both guest and volunteer.   If you would like to talk to a counsellor please contact Toni West on 0438 553 772 or toni.west@chapliancyaustralia.com . Toni is a chaplain and counsellor and has been involved with BWNS in the past. You can learn more about the organisation she is part of at www.chaplaincyaustralia.com
 
(e) Communication Spring/Summer/Autumn
 
We will continue to communicate with you once a month over Spring/Summer/Autumn to let you know what we are up to and how preparations for 2026 are going. 
 
3. Stories of the Shelter
 
(a) Guest Graham
 
Many of you will know that one of our guests Graham was taken from Meeting Point in an ambulance and remains in hospital. Graham is in a serious but improving condition.
 
Huge thanks to the volunteers who did so well responding to the situation at Meeting Point. Huge thanks to the volunteers who have also visited Graham in hospital. And to Daryl our wonderful volunteer co-ordinator who located some of Graham’s family so they could be by his bedside.
 
Volunteers who have visited Graham this week say he is in better spirits and is grateful to volunteers and his time at the Shelter.  
 
(b) Another Guest
 
Starts fulltime work as of Wednesday and housing is provided with role.
  
4. Closing quote
 
“Doing good is the only certainly happy action of your life” Philip Sidney
 
Thanks again for volunteering.
 
Daryl Lynch – Volunteer Co-ordinator
Andrew Weightman – Project Co-ordinator
Chris Dalton - Chairperson

Bendigo Winter Night Shelter Update #3 3 July 2025

Team, Volunteer Coordination4 Jul, 2025General0 comments

 
To our wonderful volunteers
 
Thanks for everything you are doing to make our 2025 Night Shelter successful.
 
1. Look what you’ve done: June
 
Our volunteers are the absolute foundation of BWNS. BWNS is so grateful to each and every one of you.
 
Your hard work and generosity has directly led to the following outcomes so far in our first month of operation (June):
 
  • 29 registered guests using the Shelter
  • 267 total guest stays
  • 534 meals delivered
 
2. Shift Shortages
 
BWNS in 2025 has had a tremendous and generous response from the Bendigo community – 330 on site volunteers and 100 cook volunteers.
 
However in the following specific shift categories we struggle to get enough volunteers:
 
  • Overnight – across all the week
  • Bus – in the morning AM
  • Morning Shift
 
Please consider making yourself available for these shift categories. Please email volunteers@bwns.org.au if you can.
 
3. Adding a Bit extra – Do You Have A Talent?
 
As the Shelter settles into its winter routine we have had time to think about what we can do extra for our guests.
 
Already we have had a ‘jam dougnut’ night – doughnuts generously donated by the Doughnut Man. We are also considering a movie night.
 
Our guests have expressed an interest in occasionally hearing live music.  If you are a musician, our guests would welcome you (outside of your shift) playing music around the fire etc. for an hour or so.
 
If you have any talent or skill you think might help please email volunteers@bwns.org.au and let us know.
 
4. Better Heating Dormitory
 
We are currently exploring ways to better heat the dormitory. Stay tuned!
 
5. Continue to Report Incidents
 
Please continue to report any incidents or improvements needed.
 
Last week we banned one guest for a night because of behaviour reported by volunteers.
 
BWNS does not accept conduct that is in violation of either the guest agreement or the volunteer agreement.
 
6. Fundraiser for BWNS: 2pm Sunday 20 July 2025 – Eaglehawk Uniting Church
 
The very wonderful Major Karen Armstrong of the Salvation Army has organised a fundraiser for BWNS at Eaglehawk Uniting Church.
 
The fundraiser is a “PSA” (Pleasant Sunday Afternoon) of music featuring the Eaglehawk Citizen band and Golden City Pipe Band. Please think about coming if you are able to.
 
6. Finishing Quote
 
“I expect to pass through life but once.  If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do for my fellow being, let me do it now … as I shall not pass this way again” – William Penn.  
 
Thanks again for volunteering.
 
Daryl Lynch – Volunteer Co-ordinator
Andrew Weightman – Project Co-ordinator
Chris Dalton - Chairperson
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