The History of Novocastrian Quilters
In 1984 a small group of ladies who shared the same interest, met at the Department of Education Hall in Waratah NSW.
As the group grew in membership they moved to the current location at the New Lambton Community Centre in New Lambton NSW.
Initially the Novocastrian Quilters held an exhibition as part of the Newcastle Mattara festival where they displayed quilts in the Lovett Gallery at the Newcastle Library & at the Fettercain House Art Gallery in Hamilton NSW.
In 2002 the Novocastrian Quilters decided to go it alone & organise their own annual exhibition. The number of displayed quilts grew so much they needed to use all three rooms at the New Lambton Centre. Growing even larger & needing more space the exhibition was moved to PCYC Broadmeadow in 2014 until 2020. However in 2015 due to the enormous organising effort it was decided to host every two years. Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 pandemic the 2020 exhibition called "It's All About The Fabric" was postponed to 2021 & then again to 2022.
In 2022 the Novocastrian Quilters exhibition is moving to Callaghan College Senior High School hall located at Janet Street Jesmond NSW & the display will be held on October 7th & 8th.
Over the years, quilts have been requested & a Bicentennial quilt was made for the Newcastle City Court House (moved to new court house) & another for Barnsley Public School. A quilt hangs in Newcastle University Great Hall & also in the Newcastle Morgue Family Viewing Room.
Quilts are regularly donated to various charities, refuges & community organisations. The tally for donated quilts in 2019 was 178 & then 197 in 2020.
Included in a very long list, some recipients have been:
Kaleidoscope Kids - the Children's Cancer Unit at the John Hunter Hospital in NSW. - JHCH N.I.C.U - Calvary-Mater Hospital.
Quilts regularly go to various Refuges, Aged Care & Charitable organisations.
Novocastrian Quilters has raised many thousands of dollars for nominated charities by making an Exhibition raffle quilt.
Some of past charities have been: Canteen - Riding for the Disabled - Breast & Prostate Cancer - The Nicholas Trust - Periwinkles - Harry's House - The Lupus Society - Jenny's Place - The Sexual Assault Unit - & Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
In 2019 we raised $6500 for Got Your Back Sister & in 2020 Soul Café was chosen as the recipient.
In 2019 we celebrated our 35 year anniversary.
Novocastrian Quilters has also hosted NSW Quilters Guild Country meetings.
For any information regarding our Constitution
A copy is available HeRe.
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