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When Brett Ince returned to Geelong a year ago to take on the role of Executive Director for Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine (TGGB), it’s unlikely he had dealing with a global pandemic on his agenda. When we first spoke about an interview, Brett had just completed a planning day and was keen to speak about new directions for tourism in the region.

By the time we managed to catch up, COVID-19 had arrived, borders were closed, our catch-up was over Zoom and Stage 3 Restrictions were in place.

“The focus for the organisation has been supporting its members through this period,” says Brett. “We have been reaching out to all of our 600 members, providing one-on-one support, checking in to see how they are, if we can answer any questions or assist them with applying for the support packages which are available.”

All of the staff working at TGGB took to the phones to contact their members’ businesses in the region, with Brett congratulating the work of the dedicated membership team who took the bulk of the calls.

Continue reading “Brett Ince: supporting our region’s tourism.” →

Jenny’s life revolves around her kids. She’s a single mum raising her 6 kids in Norlane. For Jenny, the prospect of finding work is difficult, and while she has developed numerous skills through motherhood over the past 22 years, her resume is poor.

The fact that Jenny is lonely and socially isolated further diminish her hopes of finding employment through connections.

Sadly, Jenny’s situation is not a unique one in Norlane. One in five people in the neighbourhood experience regular unemployment – a problem often exacerbated by social isolation.

Luckily, there are organisations like The Aviary Cafe, a social enterprise of Norlane Community Initiatives. The Aviary Cafe helps people like Jenny, and those experiencing long-term unemployment through skills development and workplace experience. In their first year of operation, Owner-Operators Kaylene (pictured) and Simon Reeves established 6 new jobs, 30 volunteer and work experience placements.

Continue reading “The Aviary Cafe, Jenny.” →

Happy Mother’s Day Felicity and to all the mums out there. “My five gorgeous children and support from Peace of Mind Foundation, are the reason I’m still alive. I was diagnosed with GBM stage 4 brain cancer when I was pregnant with my youngest of five, Jesse who is now two. We were living and working in the Northern Territory in a remote indigenous community supporting the locals.” Felicity, aged 35, shares her heart-warming story of hope, love and support, with us.

That was in May 2017. Diagnosis is terribly isolating, it meant Felicity was unable to drive, she lost her job as a midwife and nurse, she lost her home and she lost her ability to travel to amazing far-away places. If all that wasn’t enough, her marriage ended and she became a single mother of 5. All of this whilst fighting terminal brain cancer!

Continue reading “Felicity’s story.” →

GreenLight, the not-for-profit social enterprise of Geelong Sustainability Inc has launched an online Sustainability Master Class, specifically designed for an intensive, interactive, online, adult learning environment.

It is part of a new suite of services to give households and business owners the ability to put their sustainability goals into action.

GreenLight executive officer David Spear tells us more “Many of us strive to live as sustainably as possible, working within the limits of our own knowledge and resources.

“Each Master Class is delivered in four 2 hour online sessions via video conference; with one session delivered each week over four consecutive weeks; 8 hours of tuition in total.

Continue reading “Master Class in Sustainability, David.” →

Sunday May 10th is Mother’s Day. This year, the Mother’s Day Classic (MDC) is going virtual.

All registered participants will receive automatic access to their virtual platform. The MDC Virtual 2020 program will include inspiring community and fundraising content, fun photo competitions, fitness videos and dancing competitions. There will be a series of exclusive wellness tips and tutorials, pilates and yoga classes, sponsor prizes and giveaways and fun kids’ activities – something for everyone!

Click here to access the virtual portal or here to register for the Mother’s Day Classic Virtual 2020.

https://www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/events/event-map/geelong/

In previous years, the Geelong MDC has been held at Eastern Beach Reserve, Waterfront Geelong and involves a 4km and 8km walk and run. For more than 15 years, the Mother’s Day Classic fun run and walk has provided communities with a great way to celebrate Mother’s Day and raise awareness of and much-needed funds for breast cancer research.

Photo: supplied

3. “You should talk to my wife, she is sewing scrubs for healthcare workers. It’s through @RonaScrubs – Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/865861777227284/ They are asking for volunteers to sew much needed scrubs. Spotlight are donating the fabric and you are sent the pattern. If you want to help out, just join the @ronascrubs-Australia page.

“It is based in Melbourne but a young guy delivered the material to us as he was visiting his girlfriend down here. There must be a few people in the region helping because he was making 6 deliveries. My wife is a very good quilter and she’ll have 3 scrubs done by the end of the week. It’ll fill in her week. She’s off on a 24km run at present.

“We’ve been in the area for 30 years. I’m a retired civil engineer and she’s a retired Primary School teacher. I still lecture at Deakin occasionally.”

4.“I don’t have a story,” Maryanne. “Yes she does!” adds her husband Michael. Back to Maryanne. “I’m a nurse. I’ve been on a break for 5 weeks. We were caravanning and made it to Portland when we had to come back. I was telling my son, this is the first time in my almost 40-year career, that I’ve actually felt very anxious about going back.

“I also make natural cosmetics and hand sanitizer. You can order it through my facebook site @mezmakes https://www.facebook.com/mezmakes/ or give me a call on 0425 165 505. I’d been selling it through my friend’s $2 shop at Highton, but they had to close. I use all-natural ingredients, aloe vera, glycerine and the correct ratio of alcohol. It comes in lemon, lavender, tea tree or marjoram. I’m offering it at a discount to NFPs and schools.

Continue reading “Free Conversations 3 & 4.” →

Are you missing your grandkids? Humans in Geelong writer Deb Howcroft has tackled the challenges of lockdowns and physical distancing from her grandchildren by writing a guide for grandparents on how to connect with grandchildren ‘virtually’.

“While in isolation I thought I’d learn how to self-publish an e-book through Amazon Kindle. I decided to write about something close to my heart; how to maintain the bonds with my young grandchildren through the COVID-19 pandemic, which has imposed the separation of many grandparents from their families.”

Deb said she wrote the small book she called Connected Grandparents: A practical how-to guide for ‘virtual’ grandparents – great ideas to keep grandkids entertained and connected to far-away family, because she hoped that it could be a useful tool for other grandparents during the isolation restrictions.

Continue reading “Connected Grandparents, Deb.” →

Do you care about our environment? If so, please make a submission by 30 April to Geelong Council about their proposed Sustainability Framework. If you don’t have time to wade through the lengthy, technical Framework, you can gain a valuable insight and submission suggestions from Geelong Sustainability and other concerned environmental groups, at this google doc https://tinyurl.com/ybc5v79z

The Framework was developed in response to community demands for Council to declare a climate emergency. Environmental community groups have serious concerns about the content of the Framework, and the process of its development. They state:

“We need as many Geelong region residents to make a submission, using the link to let City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) know that the Framework is inadequate, misrepresentative and deflective of the main issues it should have addressed. CoGG has invited community input, which is open until 30 April 2020 – here: https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/yoursay/item/8d7baac2ab0ab19.aspx

Their call to action is:

• Use the points in the google doc https://tinyurl.com/ybc5v79z to assist you in creating a submission, before April 30, for the survey
• Share this document on Social Media and encourage your friends to participate.
• Write to your councilors and express your feelings on the framework.
• Write a letter to the editor about the lack of scope in this framework.
• Continue to submit questions to council question time.

Photo from previous tree planting story 2019.

Geelong’s ‘Lockdown buddies’ are looking for those vulnerable in the Geelong region who need help to self-isolate. Lockdown Buddies aims to pair elderly/at risk people in our community with a volunteer to provide contactless support and company during isolation. Whether it be as simple as a regular phone call, dropping around a cup of sugar, or heading to the shops to grab a list of groceries, volunteer Lockdown Buddies will be on hand to help out. Who knows? New lifelong friendships could be formed.

“Please share: speak to your parents, grandparents and elderly neighbours and find out if they could benefit from a lockdown buddy or know of anyone who would. They can sign up for help on the Lockdown Buddies website https://www.lockdownbuddies.org/“ we hear from Kara, one of the founders.

Lockdown Buddies was created by cousins Kara and Rachel, both local community-minded, caring Mums of young children. “I saw our elderly neighbour go out and come home with only one bag of groceries after 3 hours” Rachel tells. “This was what inspired us to start Lockdown Buddies.

Continue reading “Lockdown Buddies, Kara.” →

You are amidst the opportunity of a lifetime… Consider this – The butterfly emerges from a cocoon, completely different to the caterpillar that went into it. Right now, you have an unprecedented opportunity to do the same physically, mentally or emotionally – let me explain…

If there is one saying that you learn, whilst in isolation, it is that ‘Our Identity Creates Our Action’.

As someone who has helped people change their Mindsets for almost a decade now, there has been one common theme with every case: Whoever you think you are, you are.

If you have ever admitted to yourself ‘I am not a morning person’, you would know that usually in the mornings, you don’t function well. Alternatively, those who are ‘Early Birds’ or ‘Morning People’, just seem to function fine as soon as the alarm goes off, almost jumping out of bed with a spring in their step. Notice how those who identify as having a ‘Sweet Tooth’, end up craving sugar, and people who refer to themselves as a ‘Gym Junkie’ just seem to be consistently motivated?

It all comes back to this one saying – ‘Our Identity Creates Our Action’.

Continue reading “Our Identity creates our Action, Rhys, Mindset Coach.” →