Wardell Neighbourhood Centre updates

Come along to the first Wardell Pizza Night of the year 🍕

We’re kicking off the year with our first Wardell CORE Pizza Night in Wardell, and we’d love you to join us.

Come along for a relaxed community social night with wood-fired pizza and good company — a chance to catch up with neighbours, meet new faces, and enjoy a shared meal together. Enjoy the sunset near the river or with a view from the bridge.

📍 Richmond Street, Wardell
🗓 Friday 30 January
⏰ 5pm – 8pm

All proceeds support the ongoing work of the Wardell Neighbourhood Centre.

Our much-loved Community Morning Tea is back again in Feb.

A chance to share a cuppa, enjoy a slice of something home-baked, and reconnect with familiar faces (and meet some new ones too).

Each month we’ll be serving up morning tea, creating space for conversation and connection, and sharing updates from local service providers while supporting local causes that matter to our community.

Entry is by donation. Please bring a friend and a plate to share if you can. Join us, join in, and be part of these opportunities for connection and company.

Attention Ballina : Wardell Neighbourhood Centre is preparing to bring our affordable Community Supported Fresh Produce Program to Ballina.

Before we launch, we’re inviting the Ballina community members to share some feedback to help us get off to a smooth start.

The survey takes around five minutes to complete, and there’s also an option to register interest in getting involved to help out.

This extension program has been generously supported by the Northern Rivers Community Foundation and we are thrilled to be able to help more people access healthy fresh food !

COMPLETE SURVEY HERE

Come along to playgroup in Wardell with The Family Centre

Every Thursday 9:30am - 11:30am in the Rainbow Room behind St Patricks Church.

The Family Centre Playgroups are meeting places for parents/carers and their children aged 0–5 years where parents & their children can play, share experiences and enjoy the support of other families and our playgroup facilitators.

Come along to:

Learn creative ways to support your child’s development
Be part of a supportive environment where parents can meet and learn from each other
Access information and resources about parenting
Meet other parents/carers and enjoy a cuppa while the
children play
Identify and build on your individual parenting strengths
Connect with Family Centre staff and local service providers
Learn more about local community and health services

Activities are developed in response to children’s interests and include music, stories, painting & drawing, play dough, puzzles & games, water play and gross motor activities.

Registrations here : www.thefamilycentre.org.au

Start the New Year Feeling Balanced & Strong

Looking to build strength, calm your mind, and feel more grounded in 2026?

Join Maxime Willems - Therapy & Training 10-week Yoga program in Wardell.

These weekly classes gently combine physical movement, breathwork and meditation, creating a supportive space to improve both physical and mental wellbeing — suitable for all levels.

Starts: Monday 5 January 2026

Time: 6:00pm

Location: Rainbow Room, (behind St Patricks Church, Wardell)

Cost: $125 for 10 weeks or drop-in | $15 cash only

To book or find out more, contact Maxime on 0490 404 490

Spaces are limited — bookings essential.

https://events.humanitix.com/weekly-community-yoga-wardell-nsw

2026 series of Yamuna® Body Rolling & Foot Fitness classes soon - starting Saturday 31 Jan, 9am in the lovely Rainbow Room. Yamuna® Body Rolling is an educational movement approach that uses simple props, breath and awareness to support alignment, mobility and whole-body understanding.

No prior experience, flexibility or fitness is required. It is a gentle, transformative practice that I'd love to share with you.

For more information contact Bridget : 0478 631 327

Booking : https://events.humanitix.com/yamuna-body-rolling-and-foot-fitness

Welcoming our Board for the year ahead

We’re really pleased to introduce our Board for the year ahead — a great mix of familiar faces and new energy. We’re grateful to those continuing in their roles for their steady commitment, and we extend a very warm welcome to our new Board members who are stepping in to support the Centre and our community.

Our Board for the year ahead is:

President (returning): Joel Orchard
Vice President: Vacant
Secretary (returning): Jeanette Henwood
Treasurer (returning): Maxine Osgood
Public Officer: Natalie Grew
General Members (returning): Venetia Scott
General Members (new): Aiden Thomas, Megan Whitaker, Lesley Venn, Ariane Dozer

We’re looking forward to working together over the coming year as we continue to strengthen the Centre, support our volunteers, and respond to the needs of our community.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Help strengthen your community

Wardell Neighbourhood Centre is powered by volunteers, members, neighbours, and friends. If you’ve ever wondered how to get involved — there’s a place for you here.

Volunteer With Us

Volunteers make everything possible. Whether you can help weekly or occasionally, your contribution matters.

Ways to help:

Fresh produce packing
Events & festival support
Morning teas & social programs
Admin, gardening, or maintenance

Join the Pizza Team

Our Wardell CORE Pizza crew is growing!

Help with prep, cooking, serving, setup or pack-down — no experience needed. A fun way to support the Centre and meet great people.

Become a Financial Member

Membership strengthens our voice and supports our programs. Members receive updates, invitations, and help guide the Centre’s future.

Community Advisory Committee

Share your insight and help shape our direction. We welcome people passionate about wellbeing, resilience, inclusion, and community connection.

Share Your Skills

Cooking, gardening, organising, creative skills, professional expertise — however you can contribute, we’d love to hear from you.

To get involved:

📧 hello@wardellcore.community

🌐 wardellcore.community

>> GET INVOLVED <<

What to expect in the year ahead — funded programs and major events

There’s plenty to look forward to in the year ahead, with the return of key community events and the delivery of several important funded programs.

We’re pleased to confirm that the Wardell Small Halls Festival will return to Wardell this year. The Wardell River Festival has also been successfully funded by Ballina Shire Council for continuation in 2026 and 2027, ensuring this much-loved event can continue to grow.

Grant-funded programs for the year ahead include:

Fresh Connections – Northern Rivers Community Foundation
This project extends our Community Supported Produce Program into Ballina, delivering fortnightly fresh food distributions over nine months. It aims to improve food security, reduce transport barriers, and create opportunities for connection, while also piloting a future Neighbourhood Centre presence in Ballina.

“In a Good Place” – Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)
Funding will support the delivery of Tune Up for Fellas, a two-day workshop focused on men’s mental and emotional wellbeing, addressing isolation, stress and connection.

Community-Led Safe Space – in partnership with Roses in the Ocean
This initiative will co-create a local, non-clinical, volunteer-run Safe Space offering peer-led support for people experiencing emotional or suicidal distress, as well as grief and life challenges.

More information will be shared as each program and event rolls out, with opportunities for members to get involved throughout the year.

A big thank you to all the team members and community members who contributed ideas, time and energy to the Wardell Twilight Markets proposal in may 2025. We’re excited to share that the proposal has now been accepted by Ballina Shire Council.

This is a really positive step for Wardell and an exciting new opportunity to activate the village, support local makers and bring people together. We’ll be seeking support from community members to help bring this event to life, and we’ll be sharing more details soon for those who’d like to be involved.

GET INVOLVED

Have you got some extra cans and bottles building up after the festive season?

Help us raise essential funds and bring them down to the Wardell Neighbourhood Centre for our Return and Earn program.

Last year with your help we collectively raised over $4000 ! and not only does this represent a huge contribution to our fundraising targets it’s also an incredible recycling impact.

That’s 41,000 containers recycled which is equivalent to a saving of 27,000 minutes of shower water, carbon emissions equivalent to 33,000 km of driving and an energy saving of over 100,000 minutes of TV watching !!

Well done everyone and a huge thanks to Bob and Warren who have continued put in so much time and effort driving to the depot with trailer loads of recyclables to deposit.