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Newcastle team’s spectacular Stride4Stroke fundraising effort

A group of Newcastle women have raised over $10,000 for the Stroke Foundation during its Stride4Stroke campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage communities to form Stride4Stroke teams and get active, helping to raise vital funds and awareness for strokes and the Stroke Foundation.

Newcastle team Mandi & Co-On The Run raised $10284 in just one month by simply getting active and reaching their ‘moving minutes’ goal.

Team members Tracey Laverick, Amanda Newstead, Naomi Clayton, Leonie Lewis, and Penny Genoli all individually smashed their targets.

Tracey Laverick raised over $6000 alone and reached her goal of 800 moving minutes by participating in Zumba classes, playing tennis and walking.

Laverick, whose husband Mark experienced a stroke ten years ago, said it felt good to do something not only for her own health but to raise money for a charity that was close to her heart.

“Stroke happens when you least expect it, and it can change lives profoundly,” Laverick said.

“Stroke hits the whole family. So it’s not just the person that suffers the stroke, it’s the family and friends too.

“As a carer, I wanted to help raise awareness of the wide impact of stroke and support the amazing work of the Stroke Foundation.

“They help survivors and their loved ones on the recovery journey and invest in prevention campaigns and research that aims to improve outcomes in the future. It is vital work.

“It’s estimated around 200 people will have had a stroke for the first time in the Newcastle federal electorate in 2021, while more than 3200 stroke survivors are living in the community.”

According to the Stroke Foundation, more than 20,000 people in the Newcastle area are not moving enough, and one way to prevent a stroke is staying active.

It’s estimated more than 27,400 people will have a stroke in Australia for the first time in 2021, equating to one stroke every nineteen minutes.

Stroke Foundation NSW manager Rhian Paton-Kelly thanked the team for their passion and dedication.

“They really went for it!” Paton-Kelly said.

“We are so grateful for their efforts and for everyone who generously supported them with encouragement and donations.

“I urge other people in Newcastle to follow their lead and sign up to Stride4Stroke next time.

“Every dollar raised helps in our mission to prevent stroke, save lives and enhance recovery.”

Stride4Stroke had 1393 participants from all over Australia this year, totalling more than 1 million moving minutes and raising more than $455,000.

(L-R) Leonie Lewis, Amanda Newstead, Penny Genoli, Tracey Laverick and Naomi Clayton raised more than $10,000 for Stride4Stroke Photo: Supplied

Hayley McMahon

Trade trash for treasure at Merewether

A unique community clean-up and clothes swapping event is coming to Newcastle, where locals can reconsider their relationship with waste and trade trash for treasure.

Seaside Scavenge is a Sydney-based not-for-profit organisation cleaning up coastal waterways since 2015 and educating communities about the value of rubbish as a resource.

In partnership with the City of Newcastle, Seaside Scavenge is bringing a free community clean up event to Dixon Park, Merewether, on February 12, featuring a day of environmental education, music and markets.

For every 10 pieces of litter collected, participants will be rewarded one Trash Token to use in a pop-up market of quality handpicked pre-loved clothes, books and toys.

The market stalls will be run by local eco change-makers, including Plastic Police, Planet Warrior Education, The Seabin Project, The Newy Share Shop, The RE Club and Trash Pixie Collective.

Event Coordinator Eleanor Pratten said the scavenge brought communities together and used fun and unique programs to inspire and educate.

“The scavenge is about encouraging communities to reconsider their relationship to waste,” Pratten said.

“By seeing how waste can be turned into a valuable resource, communities are introduced to circular economy principles and the importance of correct recycling habits.

“They are empowered to make small changes that collectively make a significant impact.”

Pratten said the event would portray circular economic principles in action through live demonstrations of DEFY Design‘s newest plastic recycling microfactory.

Prizes donated by Newcastle businesses will be awarded to participants who collect the most litter and other categories like the most cigarette butts or the weirdest item found.

All litter collected by participants on the day is separated into landfill, recycling, cigarette butts, hard plastics, organics, and e-waste.

The waste is then submitted to the Australian Marine Debris Database and managed by the utility company Suez.

Along with the community clean up and clothes swapping activities, the event will feature live performances from Steel City Sue and music duo Cormac and Manuel.

Newcastle theatre company, Curious Legends will also make an appearance where participants can try their hands at roving puppet performances.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the event was a great way to help beautify and protect Newcastle’s coastline while highlighting the importance of recycling and correct waste disposal.

“Our coast and beaches are loved by locals and major drawcards for visitors, so it is important we do everything we can to protect their environmental health,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Events such as the Seaside Scavenge are a practical way for the community to make an impact while also reinforcing the importance of disposing of your rubbish correctly and promoting the benefits of reusing and recycling items rather than just sending them to landfill.”

The community is encouraged to attend the free event, which will be held at Dixon Park, Merewether, on Saturday, February 12, from 11 am to 3 pm.

For more information or to register for the event, visit the Seaside Scavenge Eventbrite website.

Newcastle’s Seaside Scavenge will be held at Dixon Park, Merewether on February 12 Photo: Supplied

Hayley McMahon

Newcastle 500 Supercars postponed

Supercars CEO Shane Howard is hopeful the event will take place in later 2022

The much-anticipated Newcastle 500 was recently postponed to late 2022 following community concerns over the ongoing COVID- 19 outbreak.

Supercars announced on January 24 that the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight would replace the Newcastle 500 as the opening event of the 2022 Repco Supercars championship, taking place at Sydney Motorsport Park from March 4 to 6.

“There is concern surrounding the number of COVID- 19 cases in Newcastle and the continuing uncertainty the virus is causing in parts of the local community,” Supercars CEO Shane Howard said.

He claimed it was “too challenging to stage a complex multi-faceted event on the streets of Newcastle for tens of thousands of race fans in March” and that hosting “an event of that scale in Newcastle, in the middle of its CBD, requires an enormous amount of work to ensure it runs to a world-class standard”.

He said organisers had consulted with the City of Newcastle throughout January and understood that constructing and operating the event during the current COVID-19 period had caused concern in parts of the community.

While the Supercars had been subject to strict COVID-19 safety plans for its March date, Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes insisted it was the “right decision” to postpone the event given community concern remaining high.

“City of Newcastle staff have been in regular contact with Supercars regarding the local situation,” Cr Nelmes said.

“We all agreed that right now, and regardless of the additional precautions taken to run the Newcastle 500 safely, the community would feel more confident about the race proceeding later in the year.”

Cr Nelmes said while the race had previously attracted visitors from all parts of NSW and throughout Australia and New Zealand, people were still hesitant to travel.

As a result of the enduring COVID-19 pandemic, Newcastle hasn’t hosted a Supercars round since the 2019 season finale.

According to global accountancy firm Ernst & Young (EY), each Supercars Newcastle 500 delivered an average of $36.2M in economic output and 149 jobs.

Supercars CEO Shane Howard said that “as a street circuit built in the heart of the CBD, the event provides enormous economic benefits to the region, and we want to ensure that happens again in 2022”.

Howard said he was confident the race would be held successfully later in the year and thanked fans, volunteers, local businesses, Destination NSW, the NSW Office of Sport and City of Newcastle for their ongoing support.

Minister for Tourism and Sport Stuart Ayres said the NSW Government was committed to supporting events across the state.

“We commend the determination and resilience of Supercars and will continue to support their efforts to deliver successful and spectacular motorsport events in NSW,” Ayres said.

“These events deliver adrenalinpacked motor racing, economic and social benefits for the community and expose NSW to millions around the world.”

Fans have been assured that tickets will remain valid for the new date of the Repco Newcastle 500, which will be announced soon.

Photo source: Supercars

Maia O’Connor