Mr Walsh is delighted Nationals members across regional Victoria have joined the Nappy Collective to make their electorate offices collection points.
The Nappy Collective is the only Australian non-profit focused solely on collecting nappies and distributing them to families in crisis.
“In 2024 alone this marvellous group is on its way to delivering two million nappies and we want to be able to assist that valuable work,” Mr Walsh said.
The Nappy Collective started in 2013 as a group of mums who found a handful of nappies their children had outgrown.
“They thought what should they do with a handful of spare nappies, pass them on to a friend, keep them for the next child — or throw them out,’’ Mr Walsh said.
“And the Nappy Collective was born, because collectively, all these spare nappies — plus new ones — really do make a difference.”
The Nappy Collective’s research shows more than 10 per cent of families don’t have enough nappies to change their children as often as needed, to prevent infections and discomfort.
Known as ‘nappy stress’, this can mean families are faced with the difficult decision to cut back on other essentials so they can afford nappies, or try to make their limited supply last as long as possible, meaning little ones are left in soiled nappies for too long.
“With the rising cost of living, more and more families are facing these challenges,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Nappy Collective’s mission is to help vulnerable families access much-needed nappies, and the wider community is pivotal in helping this mission.
“I am hoping we can fill the box as often as possible, weekly would be brilliant, and nappies can be newly purchased or ones left over, which will then be distributed to local families in crisis via the collective’s community partners.’’
People can drop in nappies to the office at 496 High St, Echuca. If you don’t have nappies but would like to help, there is a QR code on the collection box that will let you make a virtual donation.
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