The year 2022 brought a number of old and new challenges to all of us at Brite, and we are incredibly proud of what we have of our team’s tireless efforts and dedication. Their continuous drive to help the community and contribute towards disability employment has allowed Brite to accomplish many new projects that will pave the way for a promising future.
We are proud to have accomplished several achievements in 2022, including new food and quality certifications, the completed manufacturing of the Brike, and new opportunities for business and manufacturing growth.
We’d like to thank our incredible team of 142 supported members who have worked an astonishing 90,000 hours this past year. These achievements would not have been possible without their hard work and dedication. We’d also like to thank our CEO and board members, including our chairperson, Megan Broome, who will be stepping down after 10 years of service. We offer our deepest gratitude for her continued leadership and guidance, and we wish Megan the best of luck for her next adventure!
Our Finished Brike
After years of preparation and planning, we are pleased to finally complete the Brike’s manufacturing!
The Brike is a e-bike made by people with disability for people with disability. Its battery powered design allows passengers with a wheelchair to enjoy the excitement of riding a bike without being excluded.
We have proudly provided test-rides of our Brikes to other community organisations, such as Able Australia and Regis Aged Care, as well as Senator Linda Reynolds, all of whom have given nothing but high praise for the product. We can’t wait to share the Brike with you in the 2022-2023 financial year!
Nursery Redevelopment
We are also delighted to have secured a grant from the Department of Jobs, Precincts, and Regions that will advance our Nursery Redevelopment Project!
The grant will allow us to provide new innovations to the project, including new greenhouse and shade house complexes, a nursery transportation vehicle for employees and staff, fit-for-purpose plant growing yards, and water efficient irrigation fixtures.
We would like to thank the Victorian Government for granting us the funds to improve our nursery capacity and allow for more growth opportunities in the future!
Food Room Expansion
Food (and its packaging) waits for no one, and our food business certainly says the same. With nothing but growth in that area this past year, we decided to prepare ourselves for continual growth by expanding our food room work output!
We’ve expanded our food room capabilities with the arrival of brand new machinery, such as production line printers, which makes us excited to start packaging!
We’d like to offer our warmest thanks to the Department of Jobs, Precincts, and Regions who have granted the necessary funds to purchase additional essential machinery items. These items will undoubtedly assist us in improving our packing efficiency for future orders!
Exciting Partnerships
Finally, we’re very grateful to have made several amazing partnerships this year.
We first partnered with KoKo Black Chocolate to help deliver their egg-cellent Easter packages! We’re honoured to have played a part in not only bringing smiles everywhere through chocolate – and through Koko Black’s support of local bushfire conservation charities.
We’ve also partnered with Get Ya Yum On, who believes “all of humanity” should have access to healthy food. Our partnership will lead to more opportunities for training and employment for people with disability.
Last but not least, we’re thrilled to partner with the Kangan Institute, a top TAFE institute that offers the community expert training and education – just like us! We’re excited to work together in providing the resources to foster growth and development opportunities in the Hume and Northern Melbourne regions. We can’t wait to start!
New Certifications
We’re also very proud to announce that Brite has received two new certifications!
We’ve recently achieved the food accreditation standard FSSC 22000 certification. By having this certification, Brite’s food packaging performance has officially passed the industry food safety standards!
We’ve also passed the Quality Safeguards Commission Audit by the NDIS. This certification proves the Brite team’s hard work in ensuring our supported staff and students receive the support and resources they deserve.
We’d like to express our thanks to everyone who’s helped us receive these certifications!
Our Brite-st Thanks!
Time really does fly by! 2021-22 was another challenging year, but we were able to push through with everyone’s support. If you’d like to know more about what the Brite team has achieved over the last financial year, read our annual report for the full details. Our brite-st thanks to everyone in the team, and here’s to more amazing opportunities in 2023!
