Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation

07/10/2026

22/09/2026

🌱 Native grains have sustained communities on Gamilaroi Country for millennia. Now, new technology is helping to bring that production system back to life, and the University of Sydney's Native Grains team is leading the way.
The project is producing clean seed, accelerating native grains research, and creating educational training opportunities within local communities. It is the kind of work that generates benefits far beyond the research itself, flowing back to the Country and communities where it belongs.
To learn more about the Native Grains project and the broader work of the team, visit the University of Sydney website. 👇
https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/our-research/research-areas/life-and-environmental-sciences/indigenous-grasslands-grain.html

08/09/2026

🌾 For thousands of years, native grains such as Native Millet (Guli) and Mitchell Grass (Ganalay) in Gamilaraay language have been grown, harvested, processed, and shared on Gamilaroi Country. Today, the University of Sydney is helping to carry this knowledge forward.
With support from the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation, a team of engineers led by Professor Salah Sukkarieh in the Faculty of Engineering is developing innovative technology to clean and thresh native grains. This work is deeply collaborative, bringing together engineers, Gamilaraay Grains Custodians, and Native Grains Technician Di Hall in a genuine partnership that honours both Indigenous knowledge systems and the possibilities of new technology.
The project aligns with national science and research priorities while creating real pathways for Indigenous-led social enterprises, education and training opportunities, and thriving communities. It is research that belongs to Country as much as it belongs to a university campus.
This is what walking together with Traditional Custodians looks like in practice. Read more about this remarkable project. 👇
https://isnfoundation.org.au/partners/the-university-of-sydney/

26/08/2026

🌿 The research happening at University right now could shape the future of beekeeping across Australia and you can follow every step of the journey.
Dr Théotime Colin and the team are developing practical, chemical-free alternatives to manage the varroa mite, with the goal of creating solutions that beekeepers can use in the real world. The project has its own dedicated website where you can explore the research, understand the science, and stay across the latest findings.
If you care about bees, biodiversity, and the future of Australian agriculture, this is a project worth knowing about. Visit the project website to learn more and keep up with progress. 👇
https://nonchemicalvarroacontrol.com

12/08/2026

In Australia, the experiences of religious sisters affected by gendered violence and abuse remain largely unheard and under recognised.

The Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation is proud to support Overcoming Silence, a new research project led by Dr Kathleen McPhillips and Dr Tracy McEwan at the The University of Newcastle, Australia . The project will build the first substantial Australian evidence base of these experiences, through in-depth interviews, an anonymous international survey and archival research.

It's the kind of overlooked issue we exist to support: one that takes courage to look at, and very much needs to see the light of day.

Read the full story 👉 https://isnfoundation.org.au/news/overcoming-silence-a-renewed-effort-to-listen-to-the-voices-of-religious-sisters/

11/08/2026

🐝 Australia has a critical window of opportunity, and Macquarie University is making sure we don't miss it.
The varroa mite is one of the most destructive threats to honeybee populations worldwide. Almost all current treatments rely on chemical pesticides inside beehives, leaving residues in honey and wax and impacting the very bees they're meant to protect. Early studies suggest Australia may not yet have the most serious varroa-related viruses already spreading in other parts of the world. That window won't stay open forever.
The Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation has committed $2.5 million to support a five-year research project at Macquarie University , led by Dr Théotime Colin, focused on developing effective, non-chemical control methods that Australian beekeepers can actually use.
Healthy bees underpin healthy food systems, and so this research matters for us all.
Learn more about our partnership and the project. 👇
https://isnfoundation.org.au/partners/macquarie-university/

07/07/2026

We are deeply saddened to share that on Thursday last week, our dear friend Sue Prosser passed away.

Sue and her husband Rick have given many years of devoted service to Soul Hub. Sue was the effervescent heart of Soul Hub and, by extension, the home we share with Soul Hub at 437 Hunter. She touched countless lives over the years through the care she showed to those who walked through the door into Soul Hub – always happy to welcome people without a skerrick of judgement. She had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen, valued and loved.

Sue was full of life in every sense, with a wickedly mischievous sense of humour and a contagious sense of fun that will be greatly missed by us all. And her hugs were like your favourite blanket – soft, warm and comforting.

We are in awe of the courageous and selfless way in which Sue faced her health challenge – each day worrying more about others than herself and never did she burden those around her – ever optimistic and trusting of what the universe had in store for her.

Our thoughts are with Sue's husband Rick and their children and grandchildren, and with her wider Soul Hub family of colleagues, volunteers and guests.

Sue’s life was well lived – she is an inspiration to us all to do and be better. Her love of life and people will continue to echo across the Hunter and beyond.

Soul Hub Newcastle

04/07/2026

This NAIDOC Week, 5 to 12 July 2026, the national theme is 50 Years of Deadly. Fifty years of culture leading the way, communities showing up, and First Nations people telling their own stories, in their own way, on their own terms.
At the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation, Walking Together with Traditional Custodians is one of the four pillars that shapes everything we do. We're based on Awabakal and Worimi Country in Mulubinba (Newcastle), and we know that meaningful partnership takes more than a single week of acknowledgment. It takes showing up, listening, and walking alongside for the long haul, the same kind of commitment that has carried NAIDOC through five decades.
As we approach our own 5th Anniversary in September, we're reflecting on what it means to build something with lasting impact, and to do that work in genuine partnership with First Nations communities.
This week, our team will also be joining the wider 437 Hunter community for a shared NAIDOC Week gathering. More to come.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and to the young people carrying culture, language and leadership into the next fifty years.

23/06/2026

📣 You can help spark imagination and confidence for more young writers with 100 Story Building!
Your support, whether through donations, sharing their story, or joining community initiatives helps ensure children and young people from all backgrounds have access to creative writing programs that bolster literacy, wellbeing and connection.
💡 Every contribution counts!
👉 Donations of $2+ are tax-deductible, and even $50 can help provide materials for a creative workshop that changes a child’s learning journey.
Let’s champion opportunities for every child to write, imagine and belong.
🔗 Learn more or donate at https://www.100storybuilding.org.au/

09/06/2026

📚✨ Meet 100 Story Building, a vibrant creative home where children and young people become the heroes of their own stories! Based in Footscray, and working across Victoria, this incredible organisation uses imaginative storytelling, workshops and programs to build literacy skills, confidence and a sense of belonging for young voices across diverse communities.
From comics and poems to audio dramas and published books, participants explore creativity in all its forms, especially those who face barriers to education or opportunity. Since 2009, they’ve supported more than fifty thousand young storytellers to flourish.
✨ We’re proud to partner with 100 Story Building and support their work empowering children and young people with creative skills that last a lifetime.
We invite our community to visit the 100 Story Building website and discover how they are supporting our next generation at https://www.100storybuilding.org.au/.