This July, we've put our money where our mouth is by donating $5,000 to Fletcher Street Cottage as part of our Charitable Giving program.
Fletcher Street Cottage is a safe, welcoming space in the heart of Byron Bay for people experiencing homelessness, domestic and family violence, and mental health challenges. It's somewhere people can access practical relief, real connection, and a path towards something more stable.
Byron Shire has the largest cohort of people sleeping rough in regional NSW, second only in the state to the City of Sydney. For thousands of people in the community, Fletcher Street Cottage is the difference between struggling alone and having somewhere to turn.
Where your support goes
Since opening its doors in April 2022, Fletcher Street Cottage has welcomed over 43,000 visits from service users. That's over 41,000 breakfasts served, more than 12,000 showers, and over 7,000 loads of laundry - the basics that so many of us take for granted, made possible for people who need them most.
Right now, the Cottage sees an average of 65 to 90 people through its doors every single day, with around 40 new visitors arriving each month. Behind every one of those numbers is a person looking for somewhere safe to start again.
The Partnership
Fletcher Street Cottage is run by the Byron Community Centre as a community services hub, bringing together housing support, mental health care, financial and legal advice, medical care, counselling and emergency relief all under one roof. By co-locating these services, the Cottage removes the barriers that so often stand between someone in crisis and the help they need.
Why Fletcher Street Cottage?
At Seed & Sprout, our mission has always been to do less harm and more good - for people and planet. This one feels especially close to home - Byron Bay is where Seed & Sprout began, and it's a privilege to be able to give back to the local community that's supported us from day one.
Beyond the donation, we're also sending members of our team down to Fletcher Street Cottage each month to help serve a warm breakfast. For us, giving back isn't just about writing a cheque - it's about showing up, rolling up our sleeves, and being part of the community we're so grateful to call home.
The Impact
The team at Fletcher Street Cottage has helped people rebuild their lives in ways big and small - from securing emergency accommodation to connecting people with mental health support, legal aid, and pathways back into work and study. Behind every statistic is a story of someone given the chance to move forward.
If you'd like to learn more about the work Fletcher Street Cottage does, or support them directly, we'd love for you to get involved.
Want to learn more about Fletcher Street Cottage's work? Visit www.byroncentre.com.au/fsc/fletcher-street-cottage
