‘Time we heard more women’s stories’: book launched at community centre

To the women at the community house, this particular book was close to their hearts (and souls).

When member Cheryl Phillips pitched the idea of writing a book about the women at the centre to manager Dawn Taylor and president Mheganne Lumsden, they could not say yes fast enough.

Two years later, Ms Phillips had collected more than 30 stories and was ready to present them in her book, Heart and Soul of the South Shepparton Community Centre, Stories of Inspirational Women.

“Each story has touched me deeply; there’s stories of trauma and survival, stories of courage, stories of doing whatever it takes to be there for someone or get through a situation and stories of joy, connection, learning and life’s many up and downs,” she said at the launch.

Ms Phillips said that when the project began, she had no idea it would get to this point.

“The goal of this project was to highlight the diversity of women who come to the community centre,” she said.

Ms Phillips said a recent study found that across all media, 70 per cent of it covered men’s stories, issues and interests.

“I think it’s time we heard more women’s stories,” she said.

Initially, Ms Phillips found it difficult to get the women to open up, but eventually, they did, and she said she was so grateful for that.

The average time for her conversation with each woman was over three hours, she said, and started with basic questions but would go wherever the conversation went.

She would then transcribe the interview, edit it, give it back to the woman and make any changes or adjustments they wanted.

“It was their story, after all,” Ms Phillips said.

Ms Lumsden, who features in the book, said she told Ms Phillips things she had never told another human being.

“Not even my husband, so he can read it in the book,” Ms Lumsden said.

“There is such a need for all women’s stories to be told, everything throughout history has essentially been told from the perspective of upper-class males.

“That’s changing, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Ms Lumsden thanked Greater Shepparton City Council for the South Shepparton Community Centre’s new home at Vibert Reserve, as well as its support of the book launch.

Heart and Soul of the South Shepparton Community Centre, Stories of Inspirational Women is available at the South Shepparton Community Centre for $20 and may be available for purchase online in the near future.