The Victorian Women's Trust

VWT 2009 CALENDAR FOR SALE!

As 2009 approaches, make sure your next calendar is from the Victorian Women's Trust, for the small price of $10.

The Trust has produced this calendar after a bumper 2008 (filled with fantastic Centenary of Suffrage celebrations). In developing this 2009 Calendar, we are reminded that many of the issues that go to the heart of women's equality remain unresolved.

The Trust's calendar highlights the work of artist Liza Dezfouli, featuring a dozen feminist-inspired cartoons which the Trust commissioned Liza to draw.

Liza's cartoons create a light-hearted look at ongoing issues faced by women, making the 2009 calendar an ideal gift for yourself or friends - be sure to get a copy!

'Women's Anthem' choristers please note - part of the chorus of 'Love and Justice' is featured on the calendar's cover.

Contact the Trust toget a copy (or several!) - phone (03) 9642 0422 or email women@vwt.org.au. The calendar costs just $10 (which includes postage).

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE INAUGURAL WINNER OF THE ESSIE BURBRIDGE COMMUNITY AWARD!

December 2,2008: The Victorian Women’s Trust is delighted to announce the Footscray Community Legal Centre (FCLC) and their African Legal Service as the winner of the inaugural Essie Burbridge Community Award.

The Award honours Essie Burbridge,who spent her life promoting compassion and acceptance of people, regardless of their cultural background, and who made an enormous difference to the quality of life of themany overseas students shehelped. The Women’s Trust is particularly proud to announce FootscrayCommunity Legal Centre as the inaugural winner, as it is based in the area where Essie lived muchof her life.

The Award recognizes outstanding leadership and achievement by a community organization in cross-cultural understanding, tolerance and strategies for combating racism. It acknowledges FCLC’s long-term work with diverse communitiesof Melbourne’sWest, and their initiative in establishing the African Legal Service. The Centre will receive the cash Award of $10,000 towards their continued work toserve the diverse community of Melbourne’s Inner-West. Formore information contact Anne at the Trust or email women@vwt.org.au

FORUM THREE: Dangerous and Persuasive Women - Celebrating a Centenary of Suffrage in Victoria 1908–2008 - Keeping the Faith

The Trust is in the middle of producing a CD recording of the women’s anthem ‘Love and Justice’, which was performed at the Trust’s final forum commemorating the centenary of suffrage in Victoria in late November.

The CD recording will include (1) VWT Executive Director Mary Crooks’ introduction which provides the historical context of the anthem, (2) the performance of the anthem at BMW Edge Theatre, (3) VWT Convenor Dur-e Dara’s gifting of the anthem to the women of Victoria and beyond, and (4) a guide on how to sing the anthem.

We hope to make theseCDs available early to mid-January, as well as an online version. Thanks for your interest and patience. If you would like to be notified about the availability of the CD, please email women@vwt.org.au

The Trust will also make the speeches from the ‘Keeping the Faith’ forum (by Monica Dux, Kathleen Maltzahn and Susan Brennan) available online soon.

Thanks to all who were involved in the Trust’s very successful November 29 forum – the event wouldn’t have been possible without your support, as well as the support from our sponsors - Women in Super, Emma Whiting Travel and AustralianSuper

ABC STATELINE - WOMEN'S ANTHEM COVERAGE

ABC Television's Stateline program (Victoria) covered a story on the Victorian Women's Trust's development of a 'women's anthem' to commemorate the centenary of suffrage in Victoria. The current affairs news piece appeared on the program on the eve of the Trust's final forum 'Keeping the Faith'.

To watch a clip of the program, click here.

Or,to read a summary of the program's transcript, click here.

MARY CROOKS, VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST: I think the anthem is a great metaphor - women finding their voice, claiming their voice,using their voice., strengthening their voice over time and most important of all, never ever losing their voice.

KAVISHA MAZZELLA, SINGER/SONGWRITER: The song's called "Love and Justice". The anthem song - I guess it's about a collection of all theexperiences of 100years of women and their journey from having no voice to having a voice and acknowledging all the things that women have done. [Click here to read more]

The Victorian Women’s Benevolent Trust is seeking to fund ground-breaking projects that advance conditions for women living in Victoria and lead to long-term, socially progressive change.