Page 2163 - Week 07 - Thursday, 7 August 2014
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Today there are about 1,300 volunteers engaged in Australian Red Cross activities in the ACT. Part of this proud history is the work of Red Cross Australia in responding to the needs of those affected by the 2003 Canberra bushfires. Red Cross volunteers worked alongside ACT government staff in our evacuation centres and assisted hundreds of callers, both locally and overseas, to locate their loved ones during the crisis.
This is just one example, though, of the type of relief and support Red Cross and its volunteers provide communities in emergency situations. As well as delivering local blood collection services and first-aid training, the Red Cross ACT also provides meal and social support services. This is the work that the ACT government is very proud to continue to support. Through ACT Health, Australian Red Cross ACT receives funding each year to deliver the meals on wheels program; the MATES program, a program which connects socially isolated individuals through volunteer companionship and support; the telecross/telechat program, which provides a free daily call to people who are isolated to check on their wellbeing and safety; the home safely service for people with memory loss living in the community who have been identified as being at risk of wandering; and the personal alarms service, aimed at supporting people who need medical assistance at the press of button.
In addition, since 2006 the ACT government has provided funding to Red Cross ACT to support important and longstanding fundraising initiatives, such as the annual Red Cross calling campaign. In the past the Red Cross has also partnered with ACT Health under the previously funded national partnership agreement on preventive health healthy communities initiative to improve healthy food choices for marginalised communities.
This specific partnership has delivered nutrition adviser training to more than 120 community workers at places such as the Early Morning Centre and Ainslie Village about how to improve the nutrition of food provided to vulnerable groups in our community.
It is pleasing to hear that Red Cross is currently investigating embedding this training in courses delivered through the CIT for workers in the community sector. Red Cross and ACT Health have also partnered to develop a series of healthy food cookbooks for people on low incomes. These cookbooks feature meals that are nutritious, low cost and easy to prepare, and they are clearly a great practical resource to support healthy eating. A cookbook for larger groups and families is currently being developed.
Madam Speaker, just as we found last year when celebrating Canberra’s 100th birthday, a centenary year is not only about celebrating what has been achieved, although this is very important. It is also about looking ahead and, in the Red Cross’s case, raising awareness and reaching out to new people. In order to do this, a number of community events have been organised here in the ACT. These include the Australian Red Cross showcase taking place today, 7 August, along City Walk. This showcase will highlight the range of everyday services that are provided in the ACT
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