BUSHkids 2016-17 Annual Report

FRIENDS

Friends of BUSHkids

FoBkWarwick Ian Mace, whose son has received support from BUSHkids, leads the FoBk group in Warwick. “I know firsthand what great services BUSHkids provides,” Ian enthuses. “I’ve been involved with Friends of BUSHkids in Warwick since it started up a few years ago and took over as chairman last year. It’s great to be able to give something back to the organisation as it has done so much for my family. “Our big fundraiser this year was our annual BUSHdance which was held in August. It was a great success: Warwick Redbacks AFL club provided the venue for us free of charge and it was packed this year; there was barely enough room for the dancing! It’s a great fun event for kids and families and we were delighted that again this year we had the popular local Bush Band ‘Band ‘O’ Coots’ performing. They have played at the BUSHdance for the last couple of years and are great supporters of BUSHkids. One of the band helped us out with the auction we had as part of the night. He runs a tyre and auto service centre in Toowoomba and spontaneously offered a bunch of his own services for auction. “It’s fantastic that BUSHkids is growing in Bundaberg, an area where there is so much need for the organisation’s services. We had a great event up here at the end of August for the official opening of the new NDIS BUSHkids Early Start office in Targo Street, and we were all delighted that Jane Prentice Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, was able to join us in Bundaberg for the opening. FoBk Bundaberg Councillor Judy Peters is chair of the FoBk Bundaberg group and a long- time supporter of our work here. “We’ve been working hard to promote the services BUSHkids provides to the Bundaberg community,” said Judy. “The services we have to promote increased significantly in February with the announcement that BUSHkids had been chosen as the NDIS Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) provider for the area. “The new services for young children with a disability and developmental delay meant we have been involved with events such as Options Day in September (which was held as part of Disability Action Week). The event was really well attended and a great opportunity for the team to talk to potential families about how the NDIS ECEI program may help their child’s development.

“People really understand the importance of what we are trying to do with BUSHkids and it’s that sort of great community support that really makes being part of FoBk so rewarding. “In fact, we have had some great support from local businesses in Warwick and across the Southern Downs throughout the year. As well as the BUSHdance, local businesses have been incredibly generous in donating prizes for our annual Christmas raffle. “We started selling tickets around the town in April and sales have been steady since then. The raffle will be drawn just before Christmas and we hope it will raise a significant amount of funds to support the Warwick service centre. “We have also received invaluable help in promoting our events from our friends at the Warwick Daily News and the People & Places Darling Downs Magazine along with popular local radio station Rainbow FM. They continue to help us to get the message out about the important work BUSHkids is doing in the area. “All the Warwick volunteers work really hard to make Friends of BUSHkids in Warwick a success. “Our big fundraiser this year was our Barefoot Bowls Day which was held at The Waves Sports Club. The event was really well attended, and the money raised enabled BUSHkids to be a Silver Sponsor of the biennial Queensland Community Development Conference which was held in Bundaberg in October. There were over 200 delegates from across Queensland at the two-day conference and it was a great way to raise BUSHkids profile and network with other community organisations. “As well as supporting Options Day, members of FoBk Bundaberg joined the BUSHkids team at a number of community events including the Flourish Family Fun Day, Dad’s Read, YMCA Open Day, Let’s go Boating, Early Childhood Indigenous Day and the Read to Me Day at Childers, which was fantastic fun. “In June we headed out Bush for the very popular Family Rock Stampede in Mount Perry, about 100km west of Bundy, and it was a great opportunity to raise awareness of BUSHkids in a rural area of the North Burnett where there is so much need for the services BUSHkids provides. At all these events, we have a strong BUSHkids presence with a stall, banners and merchandise. Our aim is to raise the profile of the organisation and provide information about how BUSHkids can help kids and families.”

Grinning winners after the inaugural FoBk Barefoot Bowls Day fundraiser in Bundaberg, with thanks to ABCWide Bay.

“We have a few events coming up before the end of this year as well. At the end of November, the FoBk team, along with BUSHkids’ Bundaberg staff, will be involved in the Aussie Bush Dance, a family friendly event which is being held as part of the celebration of Social Inclusion Week. “We’re already starting to plan our calendar of FoBk events for next year and hope to have some fun fundraisers and events to support BUSHkids staff and promote the organisation’s services in Bundy and across the broader region.”

“We receive great support from members of the BUSHkids team who take time out to attend our meetings at the Centre. We always get a healthy attendance which makes my job so much easier.”

FoBkWarwick chair Ian Mace, seen here with Emma Mace and BUSHkids’ Lou Keevers at theWarwick BUSHdance in August.

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