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Media Release: High flyer comes home to ‘make a difference’

20 February 20140 comments

Sheridan Mills walked away from a high-flying career in commercial design and project management because he wanted to “try to make a difference and give something back”.

He is now Weekend Supervisor at AMES’ fifty-six threads café in Kensington.

“I know it sounds naff but I just got tired of flying around the country managing other people’s projects,” Sheridan says.

“I came from a commercial design and architectural background, working for leading architectural practices for over eight years. I was managing large scale commercial and retail design projects with budgets of up to a million dollars.”

Sheridan says he has always had an interest in art, hospitality and community projects.

“I’m passionate about social projects or projects that engage communities and I wanted to go off and explore them,” he said.

“I really like working at fifty-six threads – I’m super positive about it and I’m trying to promote the business by building relationships in the local communities and through wider channels,” he said.
Sheridan said that he had come to the realisation that he wanted to try to make a difference and help bring about positive change.

“Last year I volunteered time at Kinfolk café, ran children’s parties at my mother’s café, mentored a young girl in an arts program under Jesuit Social Services, and managed a local art gallery – among other things,” he said.

“Now, I’m doing much the same thing with AMES – being a café all-rounder and training young people from different backgrounds,” he said.

fifty-six threads is a social enterprise which offers training and employment experience opportunities to disadvantaged people and recently arrived migrants and refugees.

Sheridan is overseeing a Melbourne Food and Wine Festival ‘Sea of Cultures’ event being hosted at fifty-six threads.

Date: Saturday March 1 and Sunday March 2

Venue: fifty-six threads café, 56 Derby Street, Kensington Vic 3031 

Cost: $55 (includes a five course set menu and a coffee/tea)

Places are limited so book your place by calling 03 9938 4772.

For images, interviews and more information please contact AMES Media Advisor, Laurie Nowell at nowelll@ames.net.au or 9938 46031 or 0498 196 500.