Laundry service for those in need

A NEW free laundry service for Bendigo’s homeless will be launched on 1 July.

Orange Sky Australia will operate the laundry pod from 1pm to 3pm on Mondays and 10.30am to 1pm on Thursdays out of the Salvation Army premises in Mundy Street.

It will be a standalone structure with two washing machines and two dryers, managed in shifts by local volunteers.

It’s set to be the 64th service set up around Australia by Orange Sky, which is a not-for-profit organisation established in Brisbane in 2014.

Orange Sky regional co-ordinator Megan Collins said Bendigo was the perfect fit for the laundry pod service model, which differs from the usual method of delivering the service.

“We have a core value of giving things a crack to create ways to drive impact and support communities that need a hand as quickly as possible, so the laundry pod concept presented the perfect service fit based on the needs of the community,” Mrs Collins said.

Major Andrew Walker of the Salvation Army Bendigo said the pod would deliver a “more holistic” service to the community.

“Firstly, it fits well with what we’re already doing to assist those sleeping rough by providing the extra services of washing which we hadn’t been able to provide until now,” he said.

“Additionally, partnering with others to show love and care for others in our community is something which goes to the very core of who we are as the Salvation Army.”

Orange Sky operates predominantly shower and laundry vans, and a mix of semi-mobile and permanent sites, at 38 locations nationwide.

An open day will be held at the Salvation Army from 10am on Saturday 1 June, where people interested in volunteering can get involved or simply inspect the new pod.

In March 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released data on homelessness by local government area. It showed an almost 94 per cent increase in homelessness across Greater Bendigo compared to Census night in 2016.

Orange Sky co-founder and chief executive officer Lucas Patchett said the organisation was “really proud and excited” to be coming to Bendigo.

“The latest ABS Census data illustrates the need for support services in the Bendigo region is increasing,” Mr Patchett said.