‘Everyone is just mingling and having a great time’: Bridgetown Hub holds fourth welcome dinner for residents

The Bridgetown Hub hosted their fourth quarterly welcome dinner to welcome both old and new residents and those wanting to socialise with community members in the Bridgetown area. Thirteen people attended the two-hour dinner with food in hand and ready to mingle with other residents in the area on Wednesday night. Representatives from local communities, including the Probus Club, the Blackwood Valley Small Land Owners group, and the gardening club, discussed their clubs’ activities and the requirements of joining, for those who were interested in doing so. Kathryn Holland from Two Crazy Chicks also talked about her participation in the Shitbox Rally, a competition to raise money for the Cancer Council. Bridgetown Hub centre manager Jenni Oliver, who also helped host the dinner on the night, said the dinner was a success. “I was really happy with it and there was a good mix of existing and new residents and you don’t know how it will go, but I think everyone got along by the end of the night,” she said.” “I think we’ve had some ups and downs, and this is our fourth dinner and this one was a success, and the previous ones have been when they’ve come.” She said the simplicity of the dinner helped with having residents connect over food and social topics. “We try to keep it really simple, it’s just bringing people together and they bring a plate and see how they make connections among themselves.” “Everyone comes a bit nervous, and by the end of the night, everyone is just mingling and having a great time.” She wanted the hub to be inclusive for everyone to find a sense of community, and advised those looking for social groups to come down and let them help out. “We’re a hub not just for families, we’re inclusive for everyone to do and we’re looking at having an actual lunch on Christmas Day, that will be catered for and we’re applying for funding for that.” “Come and see us at the hub and we can give you different groups you can join, go and try a few different community groups until you find your thing. “We’re looking to put a list of the different clubs, community groups and information for new residents to look at to make the journey easier.”