Western Port
Western Port
realestate 30 September
Reach for the sky
2014
> Page 3
Your guide to what’s on this weekend for peninsula families 220 Main Stree t, Morningto n 5976 5900
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Tuesday 30 September 2014
MPNEWS (1300 676 397) or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Happy Crafters’ field of dreams THE crafty team at Hastings Community House aren’t shy of a challenge. With a Guinness World Record already under their belts for creating the world’s longest knitted snake, Hastings Happy Crafters are now aiming to make 1000 felt poppies in time for next year’s Anzac Day centenary. The Hastings poppies will “planted” among a field of thousands of hand-crafted flowers from around Victoria for next year’s Anzac Day celebrations at Federation Square to create a “stunning visual tribute” to the thousands of Australian service men and women who have served their country over the past century. To get the ball rolling, Hastings Community House last week hosted a How to Make Felt Poppies workshop. The Hastings Happy Crafters are now urging the community to get behind the project. Poppies can be crocheted, knitted, felted or sewn from any materials. The group is also calling for donations of materials such as red and black wool and felt. Anyone wishing to get involved in the project or who can help with donations is urged to contact Hastings Community House on 5979 2918. Picture: Gary Sissons
Housing help from Salvos Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE reinstatement of an outreach housing worker to complement the services provided by Western Port Community Support will benefit families in severe accommodation crises, manager John Fraser said. Since it began three years ago, the support service has assisted up to 340 families with significant accommodation issues, from housing stress, to those at risk of homelessness and the already homeless. “What was once lost is now found and returned to us,” he said.
Mr Fraser told the 35th annual meeting of the agency that the reappointment of the worker would add to the line-up of programs offered. Funded by the Salvation Army’s Salvo Care Eastern, the one-day-a-week position will assist private housing tenants facing eviction, either through falling behind in their rent or other disputes with landlords. “Housing stress and accommodation issues have become a major concern for the agency over recent years and the return of a housing worker is a positive step toward working on the problem,” Mr Fraser said. “It is far more effective to keep
families accommodated in their existing housing, as relocation has a major negative impact on a family’s linkages to the local community.” Funding issues over the past six months had caused the Salvation Army to withdraw the services of its housing officer after four years. However, a five-page letter from Mr Fraser on the importance of retaining the position helped change the Salvos’ mind and it reinstated the position. “Many people in Hastings are on low or fixed incomes and they haven’t been able to keep pace with the costs of everyday living over the past four or five years,” he said.
WHAT’S ON AT NEPTOURS Jewellers
Celebrating OVER 30 YEARS in jewellery manufacture
Jewellery for all occasions WE WILL BEAT ANY PRICE Drive through to Craft village Trading hours: Thursday to Sunday 10am-5pm
TYABB CRAFT VILLAGE 14 Mornington-Tyabb Road, Tyabb Phone 5977 3711
Landscaping Building and Gardening and Equipment Renovating Equipment Bobcat, Excavator & Kanga Loader Hire
Log splitter, slasher, stump grinder
Equipment hire
2069 Frankston-Flinders Rd, Hastings
5979 8885
*CROWN CASINO – MONTHLY* Casino’s bus program with a HEALESVILLE SANCTUARY great BUFFET lunch (all) $35. Tue 11 Nov Only persons over the age of Adults $70 (p/s) $60 (ch) $50 18 permitted. STRICTLY BALLROOM LAST THURSDAY EACH Wed 25 March MONTH Adults $125 (p/s) $110 QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET THE LION KING Tue 14 Oct - all $30. Shop for all the bargains we Wed 11 March (matinee) do not have down here. (a) $120 (p/s) $110 We even supply a couple DIRTY DANCING of Eskys for some of your Wed 25 Mar perishables. Adults $115 (p/s) $105 STITCHES & CRAFT SHOW Caulfield Racecourse Thu 23 Oct All $55
ANYTHING GOES Wed 10 Jun (a) $130 (p/s) $120
Neptours Phone: 5987 2011
www.neptours.com.au
Mr Fraser estimated that 30-40 per cent of private renters were in arrears. “Changes to government programs have bitten into their ability to pay. Many single income families have been forced onto the Newstart allowance – rather than single parent pensions – which made a poor situation untenable. “Many others have been made redundant, inhibiting their ability to pay rent, and putting them in line for eviction. “Hopefully, people can come in before they are made homeless and receive help and advice from various agencies, such as the Tenants’ Union of Victoria.”
Western Port Community Support offers a range of emergency relief, personal support and information services. This is the time of year the centre seeks community support for the Western Port Annual Christmas Giving Program. Volunteers are welcome to participate in the distribution of hampers and toys in December. The drop-in service is open 10am– 4pm each Tuesday at Western Port Community Support, 185 High St, Hastings. Inquiries: 5979 2762. ‘Low income renters squeezed out of home’, Page 3
Peninsula Fireplace
Centre
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