When Kerrie, a Maternal and Child Health nurse, spotted a chance to brighten up their waiting rooms, she didn't just picture a cute corner – she imagined a space where little readers could start their love of stories before they could even spell their own names.
From that spark came a beautiful collaboration between MCH, Supported Playgroup and the Men's Shed at New Peninsula Baptist Church.
The Men's Shed volunteers – a crew of retired tradies, grandparents, fixers and makers – brought the idea to life, building custom reading nooks designed especially for Peninsula families.
One volunteer, Byron, even turned his home deck into a temporary workshop, determined to get every curve and corner just right.
Supported Playgroup then helped curate each space with books that encourage imagination, language development and parent–child connection.
Now, the moment families walk in, kids practically launch themselves onto the mats, flipping through stories, feeling textures, and dragging their parents down for a cuddle-and-read.
The best part? It's intergenerational. It's community-crafted. And it's creating small moments of calm, curiosity and joy in the very places where parents need them most.
A simple idea turned into something pretty special, and you can see it all for yourself. Watch the story unfold in our latest video below.
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