Friends of Old Bega Hospital Inc

Annual Report of the Friends Events Committee: 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2021.

Another year of Covid. Another year of preparations hoping our 3 main annual events, Summer Street Travel Raffle, Winter Trivia Night and Raise the Roof Spring Fair could go ahead. However all had to be cancelled, for the second year in a row.

However preparations still went on, as we remained optimistic, and needed to be organised, in case the Covid situation improved sufficiently to allow public gatherings. No magic flicking of fingers gets the job done, no matter how much we wish!

Over the course of the year John and Pat, because of LMs responsibilities, both opted out of attending Events meetings. They, and the Friends Committee, were kept informed of Events activities and ideas via the Agendas and Reports of the Events monthly meetings, and were always available to help and offer suggestions and ideas. Events thank all for the support given over another difficult year in trying to engage with the public.

Throughout the year the Events Committee has promoted the precinct as an intergenerational meeting place. The 2018 and 1019/20 bushfires, the 2020 and 2021 Covid virus taught us all the importance of the need for resilience in a population. Resilience is to metal health as diet and exercise is to physical health. A vibrant Community Cultural Centre, community managed, is, by its very nature, an enabler of resilience, social responsibility and community decision making.

We have set out our activities in the form of a monthly record. It provides a reminder for some things still to be finalised, some things which happen as a result of annual or quarterly events and some things we would like to do. It might also help any new volunteers choosing to become involved with the OBH in some way. Over the next 18 months there is much work to do to ensure the precinct and the community are both ready when new community spaces, indoors and outdoors, become available for community use.

Events will be working on a timeline to assist in ensuring we are ready! We will be running out our JUST ONE THING appeal to engage the community with the realisation a community run Regional Community Cultural Centre needs its community- 'one for all and all for one.'

Thankyou to Shannon, Gail in Andrew Constance's office for a year of printing! And a special thank you and good luck wish to Andrew as he moves on to throw his hat in the ring at a Federal level. Thankyou to Gordon for his expertise and guidance in all things media and his promotion of our cause to the movers and shakers in our ever growing regional arts community.

Thankyou also to the OBH Land Managers, the Friends Committee, the Friends of OBH, Bega CWA, Bendigo Bank, Bega Cheese, Bega Council, R D Miller, Stitches and Prints, Bega Chamber of Commerce, Kristy McBain and staff, Rhonda Jones, Kay Dowman, Doug Reckord, David Winkworth, Mitre 10, the Clubs, especially Club Bega, and Businesses Houses of Tathra and Bega, Red Cross, ABC, BDN, Bega Show Committee, and the tenants of the OBH. Please remind us if we have missed your help.

The support we are getting indicates the Events Committee really is a whole of community committee in disguise.

2022 will be a VERY EXCITING YEAR, especially for people who have stood up for and alongside the precinct since 1984. A truly remarkable community effort. Definitely worthy of a Blue Plaque!

Thank you everyone

Val Little, on behalf of the Friends of the OBH Events Committee, 9/11/2021