Camps back in full swing at Breakaway

Camp Breakaway at San Remo is going through a reset after the Covid downturn, starting with 40th anniversary celebrations, a dance night for the disabled last Friday and four camps coming up this year.

“Covid affected us pretty harshly and donations dried up a bit but now we’re coming out the other side and have four camps in the pipeline to start up again,” Manager Dean Grant said.

The first camp will start on March 20 with a four-day program for adults living with disabilities.

Breakaway held its first camp

The Community Environment Network (CEN) will host two candidate forums at the Ourimbah Campus of the University of Newcastle (UoN) in the leadup to the March 25 State election.

Residents living in the electorates of Wyong, The Entrance, Terrigal and Gosford will have a chance to find out how candidates standing in those seats will work, if elected, for people with disability back in September 1982 with the aim of enhancing the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary, special events were held to thank volunteers, sponsors and donors who have helped the organisation to grow into one of the most successful and enduring small charities in

Australia.

Just before Christmas, a Twilight Market was held with craft stalls, entertainment, food trucks and a gathering of the Classic Ford Owner’s Club who made a generous donation to the charity on the night.

The evening was judged to be a huge success with hundreds attending and even Santa managed to squeeze in a visit, with presents for the children.

“The two events showed what support there is in the community for the unique service we provide for people with disability, and we always welcome any new volunteers to help,” Chairperson Jenny Taaffe said.

“We have also become very popular with people celebrating significant events in their life by hiring our fantastic facilities and have received awards for the best wedding venue on the

CEN to host two candidate forums

to protect the Coast’s lifestyle, natural and cultural environments, biodiversity, sustainable development and local infrastructure needs and respond to the climate crisis.

The first forum, covering candidates standing in the electorates of Wyong and The Entrance, will be held on Wednesday, March 15, from 6.30-8.3 in Lecture Theatre 102.

The second, covering candidates standing in the seats of Terrigal and Gosford will be held on Thursday, March 16, at the same time in the same lecture theatre.

Residents wishing to ask questions during the forum will be required to submit them via email to cen@cen.org.au before the forum.

Moderators will then select questions to ask the candidates in a Q&A style forum.

Members of the public can register to attend the forum via cen.org.au/events with registrations open from Wednesday, March 8, until 9 pm on Tuesday, March 14.

“We know that most Central Coast residents love our local area and care deeply about protecting our lifestyle and the environment, but these topics have hardly been discussed as part of this election campaign,”

CEN Chair Gary Chestnut said.

“We have spent the past five out of seven years with our Council under administration, we have been told we are now one of Six Cities and that our population must grow by 88,000 by 2040 but we are one of the regions most impacted by the climate crisis in Australia.

“This is the community’s chance to find out what the local NSW election candidates will do for sustainability on the Coast if elected to the state parliament.”

The events will be run in a Q&A

Central Coast.”

Camp Breakaway is a not-forprofit organisation run by volunteers, providing camps and other programs for the disabled, senior citizens, frail aged, along with supporting families with children or adults with a disability.

The camps offer respite for families and carers and provide campers an opportunity to meet new people, encourage selfreliance and independence, and helps them to become less conscious of their disability while facilitating a better understanding of their situation.

Sue Murray

style with Chestnut and Willis putting a selection of questions to candidates.

Candidates will also be given a three-minute opportunity to make opening remarks and closing remarks.

Registrations can be made at cen.org.au/events before 5pm on Tuesday, March 14.

Source: Media release, Mar 7 Community Environment Network

The policy statements by Adam Crouch and David Harris (CCN380) in the runup to the election were an interesting contrast.

It was also significant that they chose to deliver their addresses in front of the UDIA, rather than in a public forum where they might have been asked a few pointed questions.

They could, obviously, count on the UDIA not to put them in too embarrassing a spot about their policies, as the UDIA seems to be a favoured body with the government these