By Charlene Macaulay
Michelle Dickson moved to Hoppers Crossing 14 years ago after meeting her husband and hasn’t looked back. The local recently started up Love Thy Neighbour, which makes and distributes clothes to people in need. She sat down with Charlene Macaulay.
What’s your connection to Hoppers Crossing?
I came from Strathmore. My mother was in Melton and I shifted there to be with her when she had cancer and wanted to die at home; she didn’t want to die in hospital. The lady that I lived across from was Darren’s [my husband] sister’s best friend, so we met through her. Then I shifted in with him in Hoppers Crossing … that was 14 years ago. We got married recently. It was one of those relationships where I knew within a week he was the one for me and within two weeks he’d already asked me to marry him. We just knew immediately. We’ve got five children [between us].
What do you like about this area?
I love the sense of community … I think because everyone’s had a bit of a hard time themselves in life, they’re more giving and you just don’t find that in other areas. There are so many different cultures and food!
Tell me about Love Thy Neighbour.
I’ve always done community work, helping out doing some cooking or dropping off a food hamper. There were a couple of people on [social media] pages and they were asking for clothes. Normally, I’d go through the clothes the kids have and see if there’s anything there. No one could help them. I thought, “Geez, these people can’t even afford to go to an op shop – that’s pretty sad”. So I thought, “I’ve got material, I’m going to ask if it’s OK if I make it”. And I started doing it. I’ve been blessed to be able to sew – my mother taught me. I’ve got a few people that have offered to help already. I just try to do my best. I’m working 40 hours a week in disability and I’ve got the kids and the housework and everything like that, so I can’t do huge amounts, but I potter along. My old faithful sewing machine, this was my mum’s, so every time I make something, I’m making it with her love. I wouldn’t mind a Love Thy Neighbour in every single area.
Do you have a favourite hangout place?
We try and go to a different place every time. We’ll go to The Tigers Club if we just want to get out of the house. They have lovely meals.
If you could change one thing about the area, what would it be?
The traffic. If there’s one accident, it closes off the whole area. I had one client who I was supposed to get to and take them to chemo and I couldn’t get out of the area – I was in the car for nearly six hours. I had another client who had to lay in his own filth because he couldn’t get out of his own bed. We need to fix the roads. We can’t keep saying, “Let’s build more trains”.
