Balwyn Evergreen Centre supports older women to move, connect and thrive
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Date: March 2026
Balwyn Evergreen Centre, a community centre dedicated to ensuring that older individuals stay active, healthy and socially connected, has used International Women’s Day (March 8) to challenge a quiet, but persistent assumption, that confidence fades as women grow older. At Balwyn Evergreen Centre, the reality looks very different.
Through dedicated women’s programs such as The Senior Divas and two new Women’s Cross Training classes, alongside much-loved activities such as Exercise to Music and Line Dancing, older women are showing that later life can be a time of movement, visibility, friendship and renewed self-belief.
According to Tina Hogarth-Clarke, CEO, Balwyn Evergreen Centre, its centre sees older women proving every day that confidence after 70 is alive and well.
“There can be a lingering idea that women become less confident as they age, less likely to try something new, less likely to take up space and less likely to put themselves first. That is not what we see here,” Tina said.
“We see women walking through the door and backing themselves. We see them joining classes, forming friendships, laughing, learning and becoming more confident in who they are.”
Tina said International Women’s Day was an important moment to broaden the conversation around the experiences of women in later life.
“Older women are far too often left out of conversations about confidence, health and community participation, yet they have so much to contribute and every right to feel strong, seen and supported,” Tina said.
“At Balwyn Evergreen Centre, we are proud to create spaces where women can keep growing, keep moving and keep showing up for themselves and each other.”
Among them is Theresa Webster, a long-time community-minded local, Theresa keeps busy with a range of activities at Balwyn Evergreen including Strength Exercise, Yoga and Meditation, Seated Tai Chi, Bus Outings and The Senior Divas.
Theresa said being part of the centre had reinforced something important, that confidence does not belong to one stage of life.
“You do not stop wanting friendship, purpose and enjoyment just because you get older,” Theresa said.
“What I love about Balwyn Evergreen Centre is that it gives women the opportunity to stay engaged, keep active and be part of something warm and welcoming. That does wonders for your confidence.”
Theresa said The Senior Divas in particular had become a valued part of her routine.
“It is a wonderful group of women and there is a lovely energy in the room. You feel encouraged, included and uplifted,” Theresa said.
“The exercise classes also make a real difference. You leave feeling stronger in yourself, physically and mentally, and that carries into the rest of your week.”
Tina said Balwyn Evergreen Centre’s women’s programs are powerful because they combine movement with connection, two things that can significantly shape wellbeing in later life.
“Confidence does not always arrive in a big moment. Sometimes it is built quietly, by walking into a class, joining a conversation, sharing a laugh or realising you are still capable of more than you thought,” Tina said.
“That is why these programs matter. They help older women feel connected, capable and confident in a way that is real and lasting.”
This International Women’s Day, Balwyn Evergreen Centre is sending a clear message to older women across Victoria, the confidence gap after 70 is not inevitable, and in the right environment, it can be replaced with something far more powerful.
