Letters

Homelessness Week shines light on locals doing it tough

Homeless hub Fletcher Street Cottage in Byron Bay has had 1,963 visitors since opening on April 12th.

Homelessness Week, on 1 - 7 August 2022, raises awareness of the impact of homelessness. The week is a time to reflect on the importance of housing as a solution and how we can make a difference as a community.

“We need to have growing awareness in the community about the impacts of homelessness and the potential solutions,” says Jenny Ryan, Homelessness Projects Manager.

In Australia, there are over 116,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. The housing crisis before the floods in the Northern Rivers has now led to a housing catastrophe. With rough sleepers and those affected by the floods, Fletcher Street Cottage is inundated with people seeking help.

“Fletcher Street Cottage plays a significant role as one response, offering basic relief opportunities,” says Jenny. “It is also a safe haven where people are welcomed and can connect with community support staff to meet their immediate needs.”

Since opening, Fletcher Street Cottage has provided 2,136 breakfasts, 619 showers and 337 laundry washes. Breakfast is prepared and served every weekday by Breakfast Coordinator Chris O’Neill and his team of 50 volunteers. The opportunity to have a meal, shower and do some washing gives people the dignity they deserve.

Community Support Workers Dayna Suchoparek and Ianna Murray have provided 482 support appointments to locals in need. This includes 173 instances of emergency relief and 40 referrals, as well as advocacy, counselling and support.

“We are fortunate in the Byron Shire to have a strong coordinated approach through our End Street Sleeping Collaboration,” adds Jenny.

“This also enables us to have co-located services, supporting easy access for visitors to broader supports.”

Thanks to the support of generous donors, a third Community Support Worker Anna Jones has joined the team to help with increased demand. Omar Amin has also started at the cottage, replacing Ianna, who has worked tirelessly to build connections and support Byron’s most vulnerable.

Homelessness is not ‘rooflessness’. Only seven percent of people in Australia without a home are sleeping rough. The majority of homelessness in Byron is hidden - people in crisis accommodation, rooming houses, insecure housing, overcrowded dwellings or couchsurfing.

“Byron Shire already had the highest level of homelessness outside of Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, then house prices doubled in the Northern Rivers over the last two years,” General Manager Louise O’Connell said.

“On top of the recent flood disaster, this means a whole new demographic of people are now at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

“At Byron Community Centre we have a long history of supporting our community’s most vulnerable, and Fletcher Street Cottage offers a one-stop-shop for help and referrals.”

The theme for Homelessness Week this year is: ‘To end homelessness we need a plan’. Homelessness is a complex issue with no single solution. It requires long-term collaboration across agencies, sectors and the community.

Managed by the Byron Community Centre, Fletcher Street Cottage is solely funded by community donations and needs support to keep its vital services going. The cottage provides a solution to part of the plan to end homelessness, but increasing affordable housing across our region is critical.

Give hope to the homeless and make a tax deductible donation to Fletcher Street Cottage: www. fletcherstreetcottage. com.au

Fletcher Street Cottage provides support and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It is a welcoming, safe and respectful place for rough sleepers to come and enjoy a meal, have a shower and do laundry, find connections and access broader support. Open from Monday to Friday, with a breakfast service from 7am to 9am, access to showers and laundry from 7am to 12pm, additional office support from 9am - 12pm, and appointments available with Community Workers and visiting services.

New Board Directors for Destination North Coast

Destination North Coast welcomes two new directors to our Board - Julie Stewart (Airport Manager, Ballina Byron Gateway Airport) and Margaret Shannon (General Manager, Tiona Holiday Park).

We also sincerely thank Donna Carrier one of our inaugural Board Members who is stepping down after fve years as part of the Destination Networks that replaced the previous Regional Tourism Organisation of which Donna was also a Board member. Donna is a superstar operator for the North Coast of NSW, as the owner operator of the multi awarded winning and highly respected “Bent on Food” café and catering in Wingham on the Mid North Coast. Donna is embarking on a new food and beverage venture housed with the newly renovated Taree Rowing Club, a spectacular location and one in which we are sure Donna will shine for the local community and visitors alike.

DNC Chair Cameron Arnold said “It has been an absolute pleasure to have worked alongside Donna on both regional boards, as a voice for the restaurant & catering industry as well as for events across the region, her experience, knowledge, local intel and connections has been monumental for the success of the visitor economy across the North Coast.”

Who will look after your pets if you can’t?

Rusty’s owners have made sure he’ll be looked after if they no longer can.

Milo, Otis, Max and Charlie. They’re the four-legged friends you can’t live without, but who will look after your pets when you no longer can?

This International Cat Day (8 August) and International Dog Day (26 August) is a reminder to all pet owners to make sure their pets are taken care of in a Will.

As the number one Will-maker in NSW, NSW Trustee & Guardian has seen a rising trend among pet owners making provisions for their pawed-pals in their Wills.

“A decade ago, NSW Trustee & Guardian only wrote a handful of Wills that included clauses for pets. Now we’re writing roughly 600 Wills a year that include pets,” said NSW Trustee & Guardian Senior Solicitor, Natalie Darcy.

“Pets have really become part of the family, so it makes sense that people want to include them in their Wills.”

While pets are regarded as property under NSW law, they cannot inherit property or money in a Will, so Ms Darcy highly recommends pet owners seek guidance from a professional will-maker.

“Pets can be provided for in a number of ways in a Will, including gifting the pet to a trusted family member or friend along with a sum of money to help cover their expenses, a pet legacy program with an animal charity, or setting up a trust fund”, said Ms Darcy.

Ms Darcy advises that it’s important to have a good idea of your pet’s life expectancy, and up-keep costs like food, insurance, and vet bills.

“You also need to make sure that if you’re leaving your pet to someone that they are willing and able to fulfl their duties. After all, an animal cannot apply to a court if their carer fails to fulfl their duties,” said Ms Darcy.

The state government agency also provides free pet emergency cards for pet owners to carry in their wallet.

“The card holds information about you, your emergency contacts and your pet. If you can’t return home, this card can alert those around you that your pet needs care,” said Ms Darcy.

New tennis court and playground at Chillingham

A new $290,000 playground and upgraded tennis court has opened at Chillingham much to the delight of local residents.

The park has been designed to be fun for all ages and abilities and includes accessible equipment for babies, toddlers, juniors, teens and even adults.

The park was designed to reflect the village’s diverse community and integrates the local character of Chillingham and its farming history.

Council’s Recreation Planner Jodie Hewett said it was great to be able to partner with the local community to create a fantastic new park where everyone is welcome.

“We asked our community to choose their favourite design, and now we’re pleased to announce the new park is open with lots of fun to be had,” Ms Hewett said.

“This was a high priority project in Council’s Open Space Strategy 2019-2029 and during community consultation, the community asked for an upgrade to the tennis courts, a playground and more youth activities.

“It’s great to bring this new community space to the residents of Chillingham - especially in Local Government Week.

“A big concern for our rural communities in the past has been the lack of facilities so being able to provide more options for residents and young families to enjoy is very rewarding.”

The rural-themed park features: • an upgraded tennis court that can be used for tennis and netball • a half basketball court • new play equipment

• built shade structure • scooter track • new basket swing • accessible picnic table and seating • landscaping • shade trees • fencing and an entrance gate.

Community input was incorporated into the project following engagement activities including a survey and an information session held at Chillingham in 2021 which informed the final design.

$20 MILLION FUNDING BOOST TO HELP VICTIMSURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE

More victim-survivors of domestic and sexual violence will receive critical support thanks to a $20 million funding boost announced by the NSW Government.

The package announced today is part of the joint $140 million commitment from the NSW Government and Commonwealth under the National Partnership on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses 2021-23.

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said this new funding will provide additional support to specialist front-line services across NSW, as well as trialling some innovative new programs.

“Over half of the funding is for services that directly assist victim-survivors, giving them the help they need to recover from their traumatic experiences and start a new chapter in their lives,” Mrs Ward said.

“One of the projects being funded is a trial to provide women with support and services so that they feel safe during court proceedings, which will ensure that more domestic and family violence matters proceed.

“A number of projects are focused on improving outcomes for Aboriginal women, either through expanding existing programs and ensuring these communities have a seat at the table in the development of future policy.”

Federal Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth thanked service providers for the work they do in supporting victimsurvivors and said more will be done to boost the frontline workforce and improve access to family, domestic and sexual violence services.

Free Messages for DAD on Father’s Day

New Grafton Waterfront footpath on track

Development of the Grafton Waterfront Precinct is starting to take shape with the footpath on track for completion before the end of the year.

Construction and concreting of the three-metre-wide shared path started in July. Upon completion, the path meandering through parkland alongside the Clarence River from Prince Street to Clarence Street will be dotted with seats and picnic spots along its 700-metre length.

“The first stages of the Grafton Waterfront Precinct Master Plan are being realised through the construction of the current works involving pedestrian and cycle paths, picnic areas, viewing areas, access ramps, jetties, boat ramp, shade shelters, seating, lighting, and artworks that celebrate the culture of the local area,” Vee Design Landscape Architect David Hatherly said.

“When completed, locals and visitors will be able to comfortably and safely walk and recreate along the waterfront, drawing attention back to one of Grafton’s natural and cultural assets.”

The project will change accessibility to the waterfront, with stairs and access paths at Duke Street and Clarence Street, six car parks and light watercraft access to the river at Villiers Street, while a small boat ramp will allow boat access at Kent Street adjacent to Clarence River Sailing Club.

The design includes improved access for pedestrians into Memorial Park from Prince Street, with a number of historic structures and monuments as well as some garden features relocated to other prominent locations within the park to accommodate the changes.

“The R.A.N. lettering in the garden bed will be replanted closer to the river to allow for a wider entry path,” Project Manager Andy Seaman said.

“Meanwhile, the other letters including on the path towards the cenotaph will remain.

“There will also be shelters featuring art by local First Nations artists installed at both Memorial Park and Duke Street.”

There will be a total of 10 interpretive signs distributed throughout the precinct, with four based on heritage, four on Indigenous culture and two on the Clarence River.

Other alterations to Memorial Park include removing the toilet block and turning the Water Brigade building into the new toilet block, installing electricity, and replacing the concrete levee wall with an earth levee. The footpath will run along the top of the levee, with a single panel to be removed from the heritage fence to allow connection with Prince Street.

The Grafton Waterfront Precinct project is a Clarence Valley Council initiative in partnership with Alder Construction and the Australian Government, which provided $6.5 million funding under the Community Development Grants program. See www. clarence.nsw.gov. au/Projects/GraftonWaterfront-Precinct to find out more about this project.

Future stages include turning the end of Prince Street into an exclusive pedestrian zone, while Grafton Rowing Club has funding committed to a full upgrade including accessible rooftop deck, pending DA approval. FIRST NATIONS STORY GATHERING

Clarence Valley Council is working on some exciting projects in Grafton that will include sharing stories of our history and community. These projects include the Rediscover Grafton Prince Street activation and the Riverbank Redevelopment. First Nations stories are an important part of our history in the Clarence. We invite you to share some of your stories with the community through public art, interpretive signs, posters, language or symbols.

HOW? Contribute your story ideas at www. clarenceconversations.com.au/frst-nationsstories

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Any use of the information you provide will be in consultation with Elders and community as part of the project. We recognise that your traditional stories, symbols, songs and language are personal and have cultural signifcance. Any use of the information you provide will be in consultation with Elders and community and delivered by First Nations community.