Charity home ready for auction
LEANNE and Jason Burnett are eagerly awaiting the auction of their renovation project at 14 John St, Toowoomba.
Not for themselves, but to help fund a new Bloom Asia charity centre in Cebu in the Phillipines.
Bloom Asia is founded by Mrs Burnett’s sister Ruth Larwill and her husband Murray Larwill.
The organisation operates two vocational training centres in Cambodia.
They teach cake artistry and hospitality to young women who have suffered serious human rights violations, and the program uniquely leads to full-time employment in a social enterprise cafe and cake business.
When Mrs Larwill told her sister funding had fallen through to set up a new training centre in the Philippines, the keen renovators decided the time was right for them to help.
“We’ve heard Ruthie talk about Bloom Asia’s work for so long,” she said.
“And we are finally in a position to be able to help.”
The three-bedroom home has been completely renovated to modernise it, while maintaining it’s character features.
It boasts polished timber floors, high ceilings and a charming weatherboard facade.
It has two beautifully finished bathrooms, with a free-standing bath and separate shower in the main bathroom.
The kitchen and living room is the heart of the home.
The kitchen is equipped with stone benchtops, gas cooktop, electric oven and dishwasher which adjoins the dining room and lounge.
It isn’t just the Burnetts that have dug deep to help the cause — the Toowoomba community has stepped up to help maximise the profits by donating time and goods.
Mrs Burnett said over $120,000 of labour donated towards the renovation as well as cost-price and donated materials.
Real estate agency Success Realty are selling the Bloom Asia House as a no commission sale.
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