First Coledale RSL dropped its pokies and the community embraced a club reborn. Now volunteers are turning it into a cultural hub.

The RSL's Artsy Fartsy Thursdays, introduced earlier this month, have enjoyed huge early success, drawing crowds of people who had previously never visited the venue.

“We really want the RSL to be a community hub – it's so important that there's something here for everybody,” Coledale RSL Club vice-president Mel Ellery said.

The aim is to create a space that's women- and family-friendly.

“Traditionally, the RSL, or clubs, has been about gambling, sports, watching footy," Mel said. "It wasn't really [an inviting] place for women to come, and that's been the idea as well; that you can come here and there's something for you to do and it's a lot more female friendly. And that was a big goal of the board, to make sure that we did that."

Venue operations manager David Lynch said: “We were just looking at our options – what's something unique to the venue and what are people missing in the area – and we threw a few ideas out there.

“We did know that there was a lot of artsy and creative people that have moved down to this area… so we've thrown this out there, and it's been amazing.”

On the first Thursday of the month, Coledale couple Fred Marsh and Barbara Gray, both artists, will volunteer their time to host Sketch Club at the venue. First held on June 1, Sketch Club was the maiden event of Artsy Fartsy Thursdays and so far has attracted the largest number of participants.

“We had beautiful help from a lovely couple, Fred Marsh and Barbara Gray; they were the first to hang their art up here; and then we kind of sat and talked about what we can do to try to create more of a place where [everyone] can go,” Mel said.

“[With] Sketch Club, for example, you've got to go to Wollongong, you've got to go to Port Kembla to do sketch club, and there's so many artists here – why don't we have something up this end? And that's really taken off.

“We wanted it super relaxed so you can have a glass of wine and have a laugh and just chill out, [because] I think sometimes, for me, art is a little bit intense and you won't go somewhere because you don't think you're good enough to do it, whereas an RSL breaks down that barrier.

“We don’t have any age limit as well – my daughter's doing it with me – so it's something that you can bring your teenager, child along to and you can sit and do together.”

Also on the new Thursday event schedule is the Pages & Pints Book Club, hosted by Collins Booksellers Thirroul.

“I reached out to Collins Booksellers and they were so supportive – they were like, 'We love the concept; we want to be part of it',” Mel said.

“I thought everyone likes to go to book club and have a wine, so why not do it in an actual RSL?

“They select the book… and then you register your interest and get a discount of 15 per cent off that book when you go and purchase it as well.”

Amateur (and professional) singers can also try their hand at performing at Open Mic Night, hosted by Helensburgh performer Pete Jordan on the third Thursday of the month, and volunteers at the club can enjoy cheaper drinks at the Club Volunteer Meet Up night on the last Thursday of the month.

It’s the volunteers – from bar workers and cleaners to musicians and the board – who have driven the club's success in the three months since it reopened. Mel and David said the Club Volunteer Meet Up night is their way of giving back.

“[It’s] just a way of us saying thank you to our volunteers,” Mel said.

“You might work your shift, but you're not catching up with all of the other people that you once were, so we wanted to make sure that there was a night where we are continuously all getting back together and feeling like that community all the time – it's really important.”

Making friends is part of the appeal.

“So many volunteers, they call me aside and say, ‘Thank you so much for letting me join; like the connection we have now, I feel like I belong to some sort of little club, almost’. In terms of mental health, I think that's been a big part of it,” David said.

“I've run venues for 30 years – I've never run a venue that people always walk out with a smile on their face, want to hug you and thank you for what we've achieved. So we're so proud of where we've come.”

Keep up to date with events at Coledale RSL Club on their Facebook page.