Welcome to the latest edition of our Kintsugi Heroes newsletter, where we celebrate our recent milestones and let you know about upcoming events, and other exciting initiatives.
Here’s what we’ve been up to:
LOOKING BACK ON 2024…
We’re excited to share our achievements from 2024 and express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support. Last year was filled with growth, impactful projects and meaningful connections.
None of this would have been possible without your incredible support—whether it was by sharing your story, listening to someone else’s, attending our events, volunteering your time, making a donation, or engaging with us on social media. Your contributions have made all the difference. Thank you.
Here are our 2024 highlights.
Content production
In 2024, we significantly expanded our reach through various media:
Published 112 video and audio podcast episodes (this is a 256% increase from the previous year)
Published more than 50 radio broadcasts
Published two new books: “Connecting Seniors” and “Beyond the Deluge”
Grew our followers across all of our channels
Our most listened to episode for 2024 was Melissa Chureau.
Completed projects
We successfully wrapped up three major “limited series” projects:
Beyond the Deluge which explored the aftermath of the 2022 Hunter Valley floods
Unpaid Carers which highlighted the invaluable work of caregivers
Connecting Seniors which helped combat loneliness and isolation amongst seniors
We also hosted an art exhibition showcasing pieces centred around life in social housing.
Events and workshops
We hosted a number of events and workshops that brought stories to life:
Our Stories Matter event, a celebration of diverse senior voices
Multicultural Dinner, where food became a medium for cultural tales
Connection, Community & Resilience events, weaving individual stories into a collective narrative
Community choir performances, where melodies carried our shared experiences
The “Beyond the Deluge” book launch included a hosted panel discussion at the Starline Alpaca farm in Broke
The “Connecting Seniors” book launch included a hosted panel discussion at Thornleigh Community Baptist Church in Sydney
Themes explored
In 2024, we explored a diverse range of themes addressing crucial aspects of the human experience. We delved into grief, trauma, domestic violence, addiction, illness, and disability. We shared stories of migrant and refugee journeys to Australia, highlighting bravery and resilience. We also explored human-animal bonds, emphasising the impact of pets on mental health. The vital role of unpaid carers and the effects of natural disasters on communities were additional key focus areas.
Through these powerful narratives, Kintsugi Heroes continued its mission of fostering understanding and compassion, weaving a tapestry of shared experiences that connect and inspire our community.
Visit our YouTube channel to find some videos on the above events and workshops.
THE YEAR AHEAD – 2025
In 2025 we will complete the following projects:
- Migrants & Refugees in Australia.
Project Lead: Emma Bellamy
Stories of courage and culture by migrants and refugees who journeyed to Australia.
- Animals & Us.
Project Lead: Natalie Stockdale
Examines the unique relationship between animals and humans.
- Riverland Recovery Project.
Project Lead: John Milham
Stories of people impacted by the 2022/2023 River Murray floods in South Australia.
- Connecting Senior
Project Lead: John Milham
Expanding the successful 2024 project to include new events and also cover a larger area of NSW.
- From Grit to Grace
Project Leads: Simone Allan and Maryan Bova
A diversity of overcoming adversity stories.
CONNECTING COMMUNITY
We would like your feedback on what themes you would like us to focus on in 2025 and invite you to reply to this email with any suggestions and ideas. We will be running a survey too in the next few months to gather more feedback from you. Watch this space…
