IS resilience an overused word?

It certainly describes the sheer magnitude of what the communities of the Mid North Coast have had to find from the ravages of bushfires, Covid and now floods.

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A lot of this is still unfinished business and still raw as people work towards getting some order back into their lives.

Over April and May the Urunga Sail Training Club (USTC) are holding workshops promoting social connection, mental wellbeing and resilience through a grant received from Healthy North Coast, for communities affected by the bushfires of 2019/2020 in the Bellingen, Nambucca and Coffs Harbour local areas.

These workshops are designed to be all weather events at Urunga, are free and all materials will be supplied.

“Over the holidays for the kids (6 to 16 years) they have a ‘Raft-making’ workshop over the coming holidays on the 12, 14 and 19 April, where they can design and make a raft from natural materials and test its sailing ability,” said USTC Secretary Kerry Ridgley.

“For Indigenous women we have a ‘Traditional Indigenous Basketry’ workshop by local Gumbaynggirr Ngamba elder, Hannah Smith on 9 May using naturally sourced materials.

“And there will be 2 other workshops for women to make ‘Rope Coiled Memory Baskets’ from recycled fabrics on 12 and 19 May.

“During the day they will make a small basket and participants can bring a memento or object, photo or piece of their own fabric that was left from the aftermath of the fires, or has special meaning and weave this into their baskets.”

For the men the USTC are holding ‘Nautical Mat Making’ workshops on 29 April, 13 and 27 May.

These workshops are to bring those affected from the aftermath of the fires to come together, share, reflect and produce something to be proud of for everyday use or just for decoration and they can also bring a memento or object, photo, piece of fabric to plait into this mat.

Lunch will be provided, so attendees need to register through the Urunga Sail Training Club’s Events page on their website at www.sailurunga.org.au.

For enquiries phone the USTC Secretary, Kerry Ridgley on 0490 349 378.