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Chinese Dads’ Playgroup Program

Progress Report to Church Council for the meeting on 28th November 2018

Three Playgroup sessions have occurred since the October report, on Saturdays 27th October and 10th and 24th November 2018. The children’s activities at each session were led by Joseph Jin of Uniting with the assistance of a couple of Uniting volunteers. These activities included playing on the outdoor equipment, and indoors with the toys provided by GWUC. Also indoors a number of fathers read to their children from the books supplied by Glyn Howells. Another popular activity involved the children sitting in a circle with their fathers and listening to stories or singing together.

Each session was attended by two GWUC volunteers who unlocked the cupboards and put out the play equipment before each session, assisted as needed during the sessions, then cleaned and tidied up and vacuumed after each session. Joseph took charge of enrolments and parents signing in on arrival.

The session on 27th October was attended by Ken Hutchinson and David Morgan of GWUC and 13 children. The session on 10th November was attended by Ken Hutchinson and Peter Stewart of GWUC and 10 children. The session on 24th November was attended by Ken Hutchinson and Peter Stewart of GWUC and 8 children. The sessions on 27th October and 24th November included children’s birthday parties. The final session for 2018 is scheduled for Saturday 8th December. This session will include a Christmas party and Joseph has requested that one of the GWUC volunteers dons a Santa suit for the occasion. Two GWUC volunteers are rostered on for the final session: David Morgan and Bill Norquay.

Before the EOFY at the end of December, but after the final session, the finances must be finalised. There may be some petty cash refunds required, which shall be paid out of the accumulated funds collected. The balance of the fund shall then be split 50/50 between Uniting and GWUC and Uniting’s share shall be paid to them. I suggest that GWUC’s half share be credited to the GWUC weekday Playgroup’s 2019 account. We request that Church Council advise the Treasurer and delegate the Treasurer to action this.

Joseph intends to run this program again in the first school term of 2019, on the following dates: February 2nd & 16th, March 2nd & 16th, April 6th. This proposal needs to be accepted and supported by GWUC Church Council. This may involve confirming or modifying the terms in the MOU, agreeing the dates, and possibly finding some new volunteers. Note that the Church book sale is currently scheduled for March 2nd but this should not present a problem as the playgroup activities are confined to rooms 2 and 3.

Peter Stewart