The washing machines are the reason people first notice Orange Sky’s bright orange van, but volunteer Robyn Watts says the conversations that happen alongside them are what truly matter.
The Montagu Bay resident has been part of the free mobile laundry service since it launched in Hobart in July 2016, offering support and connection to people experiencing hardship across the city.
“I was looking for something to give something back and this was, you know, basically you just had to manage the machines, but more importantly you had to be good at talking to people,” Watts said.
“It’s the best thing I have ever done apart from having my family.”
In its first 10 years in Hobart, Orange Sky has completed more than 16,570 loads of laundry and provided more than 22,965 hours of conversation.
For Watts, the impact goes far beyond helping clean clothes for those who might live on the street or do not have access to a laundry.
“Just seeing the reaction of the people we wash for, we call our friends and just seeing the look on their faces and knowing that it makes such a difference in their lives and it’s such a simple thing is very humbling,” she said.
“To me it’s gratifying when I pull up and they’re waiting and there’s a smile on their face and they say hi.”
Watts said one of the most rewarding moments for volunteers was hearing that someone had secured housing.
“We celebrate those because it does not happen very often,” she said.
The milestone comes as housing insecurity and cost-of-living pressures continue to affect Tasmanians, with community organisations reporting growing demand for support.
Orange Sky co-founder and chief executive Lucas Patchett said cost-of-living pressures had changed the people accessing the service.
“Today, the pressure on our service is increasingly driven by hidden hardship,” Patchett said.
“We’re pulling up to shifts and meeting everyday families, students and workers who are housed but simply cannot keep up with the cost of living.”
The Hobart service runs nine shifts a week from a single van, visiting locations including Flint House in New Town, the Uniting Church in North Hobart, City Mission, the Salvation Army, Goodwood Community Centre and the Repatriation Hospital.
Watts said the Repatriation Hospital shift was the first Orange Sky hospital shift in Australia.
The Hobart service is supported by around 50 volunteers, with the team always welcoming more people interested in getting involved.
Watts said the biggest reward was being able to make people feel seen.
“It is a privilege to sit with people and listen to their stories,” she said.
“Sometimes they share some pretty amazing things, sometimes the story is really sad and that is a privilege that they trust us enough to share those things with us.”
To mark the 10-year milestone, the Tasman Bridge was lit up orange on Tuesday night.
