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A Perth-based charity supplying backpacks filled with back-to-school essentials to disadvantaged WA children has seen demand surge so dramatically that it has doubled the size of its headquarters, with support from Mineral Resources (MinRes).

Dandelions WA’s 2026 Back to School campaign is forecast to reach a record 17,000 students at more than 420 schools in the Perth metropolitan area and remote communities, ensuring schoolchildren can start the new school year ready to learn.

The charity began in 2021 supporting just 220 students. By 2022 this had risen to 900, climbed to 6,700 in 2023 and surged to 15,000 last year, highlighting the growing cost‑of‑living pressures facing many families.

An army of volunteers – including MinRes employees – spends months preparing the backpacks with essentials such as pens, pencils, exercise books, lunch boxes, drink bottles, hats and calculators.

Many children also receive toiletry packs containing shampoo, conditioner, body wash or soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush and deodorant.

Since 2021, MinRes has supported Dandelions WA by contributing to the cost of renting its Malaga headquarters, affectionately known as the Kindness Kubby.

As demand for the WA chairty surged, MinRes increased its financial support to enable Dandelions WA to lease an adjoining unit and effectively double its operational capacity.

Surveys on the 1970s-built bridge are needed to help engineers finalise designs for a replacement structure.

The new bridge is needed because the current one is now at the end of its life, said a spokesperson for Network Rail.

In addition, the current bridge is single track and the new bridge will be wide enough to accommodate two tracks as well as freight trains.

During the road closure, a clearly signposted diversion will be in place.

Access for pedestrians and cyclists will also remain open throughout the project’s duration.

Baker McKenzie advised DAAily Platforms, the globally leading digital media company focusing on architecture and design, on the successful sale of Architonic, a global design inspiration platform serving architects and designers, to SANDOW Companies. 

With Architonic now part of SANDOW Companies’ comprehensive design portfolio — which includes prominent brands such as Interior Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, Metropolis and Material Bank — the acquisition will facilitate collaboration across the SANDOW Companies ecosystem. This integration is expected to provide enhanced resources and opportunities for specifiers, architects and designers globally.

Following the sale, DAAily Platforms, which also owns ArchDaily and designboom, will concentrate on editorial excellence for its principal brands, while continuing to work collaboratively with SANDOW Companies to support the global design community.

Baker McKenzie Switzerland advised DAAily Platforms on all legal matters related to this transaction.

M&A partner Matthias Trautmann led the cross-border team, which consisted of Felix Diehl (partner employment, Frankfurt), Christoph Stutz (partner employment, Zurich), Eva Kriechbaumer (counsel M&A, Munich), Andrea Bolliger (counsel tax, Zurich) Sebastian Pfrang (associate employment, Frankfurt), René Kühn (associate M&A, Zurich), Hesam Mirzai (associate M&A, Zurich), Jan Kammler (associate employment, Frankfurt), Collin Stich (associate M&A, Chicago) and Grégory Sarbach (trainee Lawyer, Zurich). 

About DAAily Platforms
DAAily Platforms brings together leading architecture and design platforms, ArchDaily and designboom, serving global communities of architects and designers. ArchDaily is the world’s most visited architecture platform, providing daily news and project insights, while designboom, founded in 1999, is a pioneering online design magazine sharing creativity and innovation. Together, they reach 2.5 billion page views each year and have over 25 million social media followers, offering unmatched influence in the industry.

About Architonic
Architonic is the leading global platform connecting architects, interior designers and specifiers with top design brands and products. Serving over 16 million professionals annually, Architonic offers expertly curated product presentations, editorial content and digital tools to help users discover and specify with confidence. For more than 20 years, it has set industry standards. It remains an indispensable resource for design decision-makers worldwide.

About SANDOW Companies
SANDOW Companies, founded by Adam I. Sandow in 2003, reimagines publishing by blending design, materials and luxury. Its portfolio includes SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, featuring brands like Interior Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, Metropolis, Azure, Design Milk, Architizer, DESIGNTV by SANDOW, SURROUND Podcast Network, ThinkLab, The Agency by SANDOW, The STUDIO by SANDOW, as well as Leaders Magazine, Curator and MediaJet.