COMPASSION, DONATIONS AND FOOD FOR HOBART’S HOMELESS THIS WINTER

Interview: Stephanie Williams

We spoke with Harvey Lennon, CEO of Hobart City Mission ahead of their Sleep Rough event on 27 May, which is raising much needed funds to help those sleeping rough this winter.

Hobart is a particularly tough place to sleep rough in winter. Does Hobart City Mission have any immediate needs coming into winter? We are always so grateful for financial donations at this time of year – they help us to not only run all our current programs, but also be flexible and quick to react to the needs of our community. We’ve recently seen a drop off in the number of donations of food and pantry staples, which we give out to people who are homeless or in financial difficulty. So any donations of food are greatly appreciated.

How will the proceeds from the event be used to help those who are sleeping rough? The proceeds from Sleep Rough help to fund our various programs that either directly help people who are sleeping rough, or help people to move out of long-term home- lessness and into housing. For example, if you raise $100 at Sleep Rough, you could provide a supermarket voucher to someone sleeping rough so they can buy food and other essentials. Or if you were to raise $1000 dollars, you could help fund a safe home and support for a dad and his children, who had previously been experiencing homelessness.

What ways can our readers support those sleeping rough or without a permanent home? We’d love to see at least 300 people join Sleep Rough and raise funds and awareness to help fight homelessness in Tasmania – sign up via www.sleeprough.com.au. You can also help out by making a donation, and she’ll be released back into the wild once she is fully healed.

New Storytelling Festival

This month Hobart hosts a new storytelling festival for young people. Storygig will celebrate readers, writers, visual artists and media, dance and music over the last weekend of May. It’ll feature Lian Tanner, Jeannie Baker, Leigh Hobbs, Alyssa Bermudez and more. Saturday 27 - Sunday 28 May, 10-4pm at Franklin Square, Hadley’s Orient Hotel and live online across Tasmania. Head to taswriters.org for more.

volunteering with Hobart City Mission, or donating quality second-hand items to City Mission Op Shops.

And finally, try to be compassionate towards people who are experiencing homelessness or going through a tough time. Oftentimes, there have been a series of difficult circumstances that have led to someone being in that situation. Everyone is doing the best that they can, with the resources they have available to them. By being kind and helping others build on those resources, we can create a more compassionate, resilient and connected Southern Tasmania. Details on what’s most needed are available through our website at www.hobartcitymission.org.au and donations can be made at the Hobart or Moonah office.

IT’S THE O FF SEASON NOT THE QUIET SEASON

When winter arrives, the real Tasmania wakes up. And it’s more than a little ‘off’. It’s getting way off the beaten path. It’s hitting it off with others after dark. It’s ripping the straitjacket of routine life right off. A time to feast harder, dance longer, and launch ourselves into mother nature. A chance to drop our inhibitions. Release our minds. And reconnect with ourselves. If the dark awakens something inside you, there’s nowhere better to let it all out than Tasmania’s Off Season.

→ Visit discovertasmania.com.au/off-season

COWABUNGA QUEENS! SHE SHREDS IS BACK

Girls and those identifying who want to get into skateboarding or hone their skills, now’s the time to drop in - the She Shreds Development Squad is back for Term 2. The program runs for 12 weeks and sessions are based on skill level - from those learning how to skate and drop in, to queens who know how to shred it with the best of them and want to learn new, more advanced tricks. She Shreds Australia is a not for profit organisation created to empower girls’ and those identifying through skateboarding. For more info head to www.facebook.com/sheshredsaustralia.

CALLING ALL HOBART TEENS! SPEAK UP IN AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST YOUTH SURVEY

Mission Australia is calling on young people aged 15-19 to have their say. As the largest survey of its kind, Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2023 provides a valuable snapshot of what young people think and feel. Last year, 621 young people in Tasmania completed the survey, with the environment, equity and discrimination, and mental health topping the issues. Mission Australia Tasmania State Director Mychelle Curran said the Youth Survey was, “an essential platform for young people to express their concerns, aspirations, and experiences and amplify their voices to instigate change.” Mission Australia Youth Survey 2023 is open from March to August and takes 20 minutes to complete. To take part, visit www. missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey.

POTATO WOES?

Hot on the heels of months of potato shortages and price hikes comes more bad news for the local potato industry (and dedicated fans of the potato in all its delicious forms) with the detection of a potato tuber virus on some Tasmanian properties at Little Swanport, Bangor/Dunalley, Cressy and Connellys Marsh. The virus, spread by aphids, causes a disease called potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease (ew) which results in dark unsightly rings on tubers. Biosecurity Tasmania is working with industry and relevant authorities, including the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, a seed supplier and the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association so we hope they can nip it in the bud…or spud!

Urgent Action Needed To Reduce Child Maltreatment

The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS) results, released last month, were a wake up call that urgent action is required around child maltreatment and abuse. The ACMS study has found that child maltreatment is widespread and girls experience particularly high rates of sexual abuse and emotional abuse. Child maltreatment is associated with severe health risk behaviours, both in childhood and adulthood and emotional abuse is particularly harmful and is much more damaging than society has understood. “The detailed evidence from the ACMS research, tells us what we need to know to develop a national strategic, evidence-based, cross-sector, whole-of-government and indeed a whole-of community approach to reducing child maltreatment and its consequences,” the Commissioner for Children and Young People Leanne McLean said, going on to say that, “We need to invest more, and we need to invest better. With the ACMS findings there is no longer any excuse not to.” If you need support, help is available here at www.acms.au/support-services.

Thumbs Up

Parts of the Midlands Highway have returned to normal speed limits.

City of Hobart are greening up our streets by giving away free plants for nature strips throughout May.

Harry Potter fans rejoice as Quidditchinspired Quadball games are coming to Parliament Lawns this winter!

Warming slow cooked casseroles, roasts and stews are back on the menu.

Thumbs Down

Flight cancellations and delays - STILL!

Parking disputes in residential streets with open parking. No one owns the street parks.

Elizabeth Street Bus Mall is still hectic with cancellations, delays and eshays.

The continuous need to change drivers licences because hackers…hackers everywhere.

Cold, weak coffee.