Sparkling start to laundry’s special year

By Wendy Shaw

Blueline Laundry’s sparkling year of celebrations to mark its 130th anniversary began with a reception at Government House in Hobart.

The anniversary was an opportunity to reflect on the past and looking to the future with ‘great excitement’, according to Blueline’s CEO, Michael Sylvester.

The laundry has sites in Hobart and Launceston, is a certified social enterprise and registered charity, and operates under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Hobart.  

“Our 130-year history spans two world wars, the polio pandemic, the Spanish Flu, the 1967 bushfires, a devastating boiler explosion at Mt St Canice in 1974, the global financial crisis and now, the COVID pandemic,” Mr Sylvester said.

“In the mid ’90s we developed Australia’s first award payment systems for people with intellectual disabilities which has shaped the modern Supported Employment Services Award of today and developed one of Australia’s first externally recognised, work-based training and development programs.

“Whilst our history is long and rich, the past few years have been tumultuous, and feel a bit like a thrill-seeking ride at a Gold Coast theme park.

“We have emerged from the pains of COVID as a well-considered social enterprise of the Tasmanian community and well-positioned to further embrace our very exciting future.”

Mr Sylvester paid tribute to the loyalty and dedication of current and former employees, and highlighted the diverse abilities, cultures and backgrounds of its staff.

“I am particularly proud of our effort to reinforce our support for neuro-divergent employees, embrace our cultural diversity through the recognition of the amazing talents of our multicultural workforce, and continue to provide employment for generational Tasmanians, many of whom are also marginalised,” Mr Sylvester said.

“We are also proud of the extra support that we have been able to provide to staff who have fallen through the cracks of Tasmania’s Social Service system, by providing resources to address homelessness, food shortage and other wellbeing issues.”

Although the official anniversary is on 10 April, the party started early with the Governor of Tasmania, the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, and her husband, Emeritus Professor Don Chalmers AO, touring the Hobart laundry in February, and then the Government House reception a week later.

Other events to mark the anniversary year include: a multicultural recipe book, a community musical reflecting the laundry’s values, a revamped logo featuring indigenous elements, fundraising for a minibus to help improve workplace participation, a family fun day in October and an awards day on 2 December to mark the International Day of People with a Disability.

Mr Sylvester added: “We see the last 130 years not just as an amazing feat of endurance and resilience, but as a fundamental stepping stone for all that lies ahead for the next 130 years.”