Uniting AgeWell shines at rainbow festival

Meeting, greeting and celebrating at Midsumma

It was a day of rainbow colours, laughter and smiles on the faces of over 120,000 people at the Midsumma Festival on Sunday 21 January.

The cool weather was perfect for revellers at the 180-stall event at Alexandra Gardens, which brings together a diverse mix of LGBTQIA+ artists, performers, communities and audiences.

Uniting AgeWell was strongly represented by a roster of 25 staff from across the organisation. Our team decked out in bright rainbow T-shirts and dove wings and equipped with welcoming smiles and ready conversations made the UA stand a must-stop destination. Thanks to every one for bringing your magic.

A thousand visitor bags with flyers, information and jelly beans were handed out, with many people stopping to ask for more information about our services.

One of those handing out information bags was Tracy Barron, who is a volunteer with Social Connections in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. She has shared her inspiring story about her journey first as a young girl, then as a male, and finally coming out in later years as the woman she always was.

Another colourful presence at our stall was the fabulous Miss Rita Linn, whose Mum Diane Johnson works as an enrolled nurse at Strath-Haven Community. Rita somehow managed to navigate walking across the grass in eight-inch heels!

Inquiries come in thick and fast; older couples beginning their search for services, a young couple keen to tell their grandparents about what we offer, people seeking careers or opportunities to volunteer, while another said how warm it made them feel to know how inclusive we are.

One man stopped to deliver his grateful thanks to Hawthorn Community for the wonderful care they gave to his late Aunt.

People and Culture Operations Manager Tracy Semmens says, “We fielded lots of questions, not only about our services but enquiring about jobs and also volunteering. It was a wonderful day.”

Uniting AgeWell is taking part in the Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda on Sunday, 4 February where we will walk behind our “we welcome all” banner.