Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Kerry, a Nest Community volunteer who makes a difference by detangling, organising and sorting all of the preloved trims donated to The Nest Haberdashery.

What started as an impulse to just ‘tidy up’, Kerry (and her family) have become something of a tour de force when it comes to processing donated trims and notions.

It all started 7 years ago when Kerry volunteered to roll fabric at The Nest Community in Everton Park.

“I saw a trolley that was a mess of lace and trims. I decided to take it home to sort and it just evolved because no one else put their hand up to do it”.

After the Everton Park house was enclosed underneath, The Nest Haberdashery suddenly had more room to display stock. As donations increased and there were more displays to fill, taming trims became something of a process. A challenge that Kerry embraced.

“I have a kit at home with scissors, tape measure, bags and cardboard cut ready for laces and trims. A corner of the lounge is taken up by The Nest.”

Kerry usually spends a couple of hours each night sorting and says it ‘keeps my hands busy’. But she’s not alone and usually involves her husband or even the grandchildren.

“Last night he sorted buckles and put them into bags, or put dots on the bags. We sit at opposite ends of the table and untwist tangled elastic, ribbon, etc”.

About a year ago Kerry went on holiday and Robyn, another volunteer, started helping out with the home sorting. They now share the responsibility. Robyn’s husband has even added his own innovation and now makes the wooden display panels that Kerry says is superior to the cardboard they were using previously.

As an experienced sewer Kerry applies her own standard of ‘what would I pay’ as she sorts and categorises donations.

“I don’t keep anything that’s basic. Under 1mtr generally gets used for ties, but then elastic under 1mtr can be used for a waistband – so I have to use my knowledge to make an assessment”.

During a shift in the Textile Recovery Centre, Kerry has come across some unusual items.

“If I don’t know what it is I look it up on ebay, google, etc. if no info will take it to the ‘brains trust’ and there is generally someone who will know what it is. Once. there was a pointed medallion on a neck chain that I didn’t recognize. When I looked it up I found it was a thread cutter.

The very next day a customer came in looking for one because she couldn’t take scissors on planes and wanted a pendant thread cutter to take on her travels. I was very happy to have found it and that it got a good home”.

Do you value craft, connection and sustainability? Learn more about volunteering at The Nest Community.