EVERYONE is invited to come along to the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre Open Day on Thursday 11 May from 8am to 2pm.

Coinciding with Neighbourhood Centre Week, which this year has a theme of ‘Locals Connecting Locals’, the Open Day is set up to foster a sense of collective belonging and engagement.

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Known as the ‘place to go when you don’t know where to go’, the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre is a friendly, welcoming and inclusive space that fosters community interaction and connectivity.

The Centre offers a variety of services, programs and activities to meet the diverse needs of people within Coffs Harbour.

While the Neighbourhood Centre is open from 9.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday, the Open Day is an opportunity for people who may not have previously engaged with the centre to come along, say hello and find out more about who they are and what they do.

Neighbourhood Centre Coordinator Anna Joy told News Of The Area, “We have been receiving calls from people who may not have been to a Neighbourhood Centre before but are finding themselves in a situation where they are needing support and they don’t know where to go.

“When we invite people to come in and see how we can help it is interesting how many people ask where we are located, even though they may have lived in Coffs Harbour for many years.”

The Locals Connecting Locals theme of this year’s Neighbourhood Centre Week is strongly reflected at the Centre, where the team of over 30 local volunteers support the centre’s service delivery.

Carol Purdy, who has volunteered at the Neighbourhood Centre for over eight years, said, “Volunteering at the centre has given me the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives whether it is connecting them with our free counselling service, supporting people with digital skills or helping them with essential food support when they are doing it tough.

“We also are well connected to the Coffs Harbour community services network and if we can’t help, we will know someone who can.”

The Open Day is an opportunity to showcase the diverse activities of the Neighbourhood Centre and will include a free barbecue breakfast serviced by MENtors For Men, an outside broadcast by One Mob Community Radio from 8.00am to 10.am, the Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation (BMNAC) mobile café serving up free coffees, prize giveaways, a freebies table for families with babies and young children, guest speakers from the Neighbourhood Centre service and activity representatives, volunteer led guided tours and more.

The Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre acknowledges the funding from the NSW Government’s Department of Communities and Justice and all the essential support donations received from the generous Coffs Harbour community.

Looking forward to bringing their special vibe to the Open Day, One Mob Radio founder Lachlan Skinner told NOTA, “OneMob Radio is honoured to be invited to participate in the Neighbourhood Centre Open Day event.

“On the day, OneMob Radio will be broadcasting between 8am and 9am and then providing music.

“We love working with the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre and Pete’s Place and can’t wait for the open day,” he said.

“MENtors for Men is supporting the Neighbourhood Centre Open Day because we feel they are doing a fantastic job in reaching out to underprivileged people in our busy community,” MENtors for Men coordinator John Mandile told NOTA.

“Many groups raise money for this group, but the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre volunteers actually meet them face-to-face and really reach out to them and genuinely try to assist them.

“I love watching them doing this.”

John believes that there’s many in the community who are not aware of the numerous people-related programs the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre delivers.

“So, MENtors for Men is running a free BBQ to promote and support their great work.

“We urge people in our community to come along and see for themselves and spread the word to their friends,” said John.

For more information visit the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre Facebook page or www.chnc.com.au.

By Andrea FERRARI