Beyond the Wearhouse door

SORTING, testing, cleaning and steaming. You’d be surprised at the action and teamwork behind the Wozzles Wearhouse door in Mitchell Park.

Assuring donated clothing, shoes, bric-a-brac, jigsaws, toys, books, DVDs, jewellery and beyond are in good shape for re-sale, around 75 people volunteer their time every week to sort and support for the op-shop charity, raising money for Ballarat’s Child and Family Services.

Geoff Sharp, Project Lead said Wozzles Wearhouse currently operates with three shops, and the vibrant, well-oiled, people-powered machine that is the Patanga Court processing centre.

“That’s where we take all the donations that people drop off either at the shops or the bins,” he said.

“We sort them, we wash them, clean them, launder them, test them if they’re electronics. There’s shoes and sheets.

“Most op-shops don’t clean the stuff, we’re a bit unusual in that we clean it. It all stays in Ballarat.”

Former CAFS Community Liaison, Val Sarah said the busy space is an “eye opener.

“I go up regularly and take stuff up for myself and my neighbours. I’d only been to the door, put things on the trolley, and away it would go. I hadn’t been through the warehouse,” she said.

“When I did, there were things for Christmas, birthdays, CDs and visual stuff, books for kids and adults. Any one thing that they need to pick up to take on the day.

“It’s astonishing. So well organised.”

For Mr Sharp, some of these efficient Wozzles’ workers have the “best job in the world.

“If someone donates a kids’ train set, you’ve got to put it together and make sure it works. These volunteers sit there, connect it all up, they run the trains, they’re all in their 80s and it’s just lovely,” he said.

“Even the jigsaws, if it’s a 200 piece one, they just do them and make sure all the pieces are there.”

Wozzles Wearhouse does its best to minimise waste wherever possible.

“If donations are good, they go back to our shop. If they’re cotton and not so good, they go to rags with McCallum,” Mr Sharp said.

“Any other good, serviceable clothing actually goes overseas to an international aid development agency who actually recycle it into blankets and insulation material, or good stuff is given away to people that need it.”

Now, Wozzles is looking for more community minded people to join this process, and they request more quality “pre-loved” pieces rather than “used stuff.

“Wozzles is mostly volunteer driven. We don’t buy product, we just rely on people to donate,” Mr Sharp said.

People are encouraged to donate to the stores, the donation bins around town, or if pieces are of very high quality or fragile, straight to the sorting space at Patanga Court, Mitchell Park. Wozzles does not take furniture.

If you’re interested in volunteering, contact 5339 9166.

Wozzles Wearhouse will soon host a book sale. Keep an eye on facebook.com/Wozzles-Wearhouse-360900310940941.