Red Cross volunteers thanked for assistance in Hunter Valley crash Myall Coast Myall Coast by News Of The Area - Modern Media - February 15, 2024 Narelle Murray and Jennifer Kelly accepting the plaque of thanks from Cessnock Mayor Jay Suvaal. MEMBERS of the Tea Gardens Red Cross were thanked and recognised by Cessnock Mayor Jay Suvaal for their efforts following the devastating 2023 Hunter Valley bus crash, along with other Hunter Red Cross volunteers, at Cessnock on 26 January. Part of the Australia Day celebrations, Mayor Suvaal presented a special plaque to all Red Cross volunteers in the district. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au “It was a beautiful day of pride, celebration, and reflection from the citizenship ceremony, through to the awards for amazing contributions from individuals to their community, to the recognition of our emergency services and front-line workers during times of tragedy,” Jo Pearce, leader of the Tea Gardens Red Cross Emergency Services Group, told NOTA. Local volunteers Narelle Murray, Jennifer Kelly and Lori Parker answered the call to assist with the psychological first aid of survivors and their families after last year’s tragedy. “We were at the Youth Centre along with the Chaplain and a psychologist, to help crash victims as they came in, and we do it because we want to help people when they need it most,” Ms Kelly said. “We like helping, even just being there is doing something, people like to talk and we listen, which is a big part of Red Cross psychological first aid,” Ms Murray added. “It was very sad,” explained Narelle Murray, who was down on the football field where most casualties accumulated after the crash, but it was not her first time in such a situation. Ms Murray, a long-time member of Red Cross, had been sent with Ms Parker to help out in similar capacities at the big Townsville floods a few years ago, and again with Ms Kelly, herself a former nurse, to the devastating bushfires near Taree in 2019. All Red Cross Emergency Services volunteers agree that helping humans in need is the most important thing, which is what keeps them returning to such situations, utilising their critical and specialised Red Cross Psychological First Aid Training. The Tea Gardens Red Cross will recommence monthly meetings (fourth Monday of the month) on 26 February at the Tea Gardens Country Club, from 10:30am, new members welcome to join. By Thomas O’KEEFE Red Cross volunteers and representatives from Tea Gardens and the Hunter on stage to accept the award of gratitude for their hard work in the tragedy last year. A full room at the Centre on Australia Day.
