Thursday, November 7, 2019

Meeting, followed by a shared meal

Our next meeting is on Saturday 7th Dec at 10:30 at the Wauchope Arts Council Hall.
At the end of the meeting at noon we are planning to have a shared lunch, and have asked the Tamil refugees to join us.
Please bring a plate of food to share.

If you haven't been to a meeting before, please feel free to come along, listen, ask questions and get to know the group.
Information about MNCRSG events and meetings can also be found on our Facebook page.


Friday, September 27, 2019

Notice of AGM


MID NORTH COAST REFUGEE SUPPORT GROUP

Memo to all Members:

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group Inc. will be held on Saturday, 12th October 2019 commencing at 10.30am, in the Wauchope Arts Hall.
Mavis Barnes
Secretary

To request a Nomination For Committee Members form please email:

AGENDA

1.   To confirm the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 8th October 2018

2.   To receive from the Committee reports on the activities of the association during the last preceding financial year.

3.   To receive and consider the Financial Statements for year ended 30 June 2019

4.   To elect office-bearers and committee members for the year 2019/20 –                        
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
     Other possible Committee positions:
Home Among the Gum Trees Coordinator
Fundraising/Events
Publicity
Resettlement Coordinator
Advocacy


Please note -A member is not entitled to vote at any general meeting of the association unless all money due and payable by the member to the association has been paid.




Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Music, talk, Q&A and Tamil feast


Please join us at a special event featuring Dawn Barrington, a contemporary folk singer/songwriter and activist from Denmark WA.
Dawn plays songs dedicated to the men confined in detention including one that was written with one of the refugees. There will be opportunities to sing along as an act of solidarity with the refugees. She also offers a range of ways for you to make a difference.Dawn will also talk about offshore refugee processing, focussing on Manus Island and her two visits there to play music and offer support to the refugees.She was deported on the second visit after 10 days.
When: Saturday 31 August 11:30am to 2pm
Where: Port Macquarie Uniting Church, Cnr Oxley Highway & Sherwood Road

Manus Music, Talk and Q&A - no cost / booking required.

Lunch bookings: For delicious Tamil Feast from 1pm - tickets $25 adult $12 children (under 5 free)
or phone Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group 0265858206



Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Tamil Feast - don't miss out!

Back by popular demand (and driven by our tummies) another Tamil Feast event has been arranged at Port Macquarie Baptist Church on Saturday August 17, 2019.
Please feel free to bring friends and neighbours, and ensure you book prior to Monday Aug 12 so Jack & Hemily know how many mouths they'll be feeding. :)
Any questions, phone 0489 924 859.
Book now - trybooking.com/BDECN

Monday, June 3, 2019

ABC story is worth a read

ABC Journalist Wiria Sati has written a great article about our group's Home Among the Gumtrees program and local Tamil Refugees.

Everyone is welcome at our next meeting on August 3rd at 10:30 at Wauchope Arts Hall.

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Another Tamil Feast ... this time in Comboyne

After the success of our most recent Tamil Feast, another has been planned.
Saturday 11 May, 2019 1:00pm
Comboyne Memorial Hall
Tickets $25 available through www.trybooking.com/BCDUI or ring 0265504294.
For catering purposes tickets have to be purchased by 6 May.


Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Last chance to order T-shirts

The opportunity to order t-shirts designed by Farhad Bandesh is coming to a close.
The closing date for orders is Tuesday April 23, 2019. 
Farhad Bandesh, is a Kurdish artist and refugee who has been imprisoned on Manus Island by the Australian Government for nearly six years.
The Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group has arranged this opportunity to buy an awesome t-shirt, support art and an artist directly, and raise awareness about this important issue.
100% of money raised goes directly to this artist to continue practicing art.
The price is $30 each, plus $5 postage and handling.
Here's the order form - T-shirts by Farhad Bandesh order form
Be quick, orders close April 23, 2019.
T-shirts are 100% Australian made - they are not made in sweatshops; we refuse to use child labour or any exploitation of workers. Thank you to Troppo Prints in Brunswick, Melbourne for their amazing print work.
For more information email 
snicho@icloud.com


Monday, March 4, 2019

Tamil Feast event a success


On Saturday Feb 23 around 100 people attended for a treat of cultural experience.
The Baptist Church of Port Macquarie and the Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group hosted a Tamil Feast and Dance, to demonstrate welcome to Tamil refugees who have settled in the Hastings. The MNCRSG provides welcome with practical and social support as they make every effort to be fully functioning in freedom. Members have been eager to assist with professional assistance in seeking work, as there are no Settlement Services available locally.
Classically trained for 20 years in Traditional Indian Dance, Nick then provided a moving performance of his art.
Annie from Laurieton described the day as wonderful.  
“It was lovely to see a big interest. The food was delicious and the dance was very emotional. The most important thing to me was increasing awareness of how we can help refugees locally.”
Local dance teacher Galena introduced Nick’s performance: 
“The dance is in the style of Indian classical Bharathanatya. He learned the divine art from an early age to an advanced level over 20 years. Nick has won awards for his dancing and is also a poet, writer and a journalist, born in Jaffna Sri Lanka. He has a degree in Psychology. He hopes to share his skills with Bollywood dance classes to be introduced soon."
Janette Jones, President of the Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group, declared the day a success, which highlighted the skills of the newcomers and gave them a welcome they deserve.

Kathryn Parle
Publicity Officer
Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group

Friday, February 22, 2019

T-shirts by Kurdish artist available for sale

Farhad Bandesh is a Kurdish artist - a refugee imprisoned on Manus Island by the Australian Government for nearly six years.
This is an opportunity to buy an awesome t-shirt, support art and an artist directly, and raise awareness about this important issue.
Farhad’s artistic talents include being a guitar maker, singer, musician, painter and poet.
100% of money raised goes directly to this artist to continue practicing art.
It is inspiring to see how he continues to produce art whilst imprisoned in such harsh conditions on Manus Island where sourcing materials to practice art is really difficult.
The t-shirts have just been printed and are available now!
The Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group Inc is arranging a bulk order at a discounted rate.
Our price: $30 each plus $5 postage and handling.
Here's the order form - T-shirts by Farhad Bandesh order form
Orders must be received by Sunday 10 March 2019.
T-shirts are 100% Australian made - they are not made in sweatshops; we refuse to use child labour or any exploitation of workers. Thank you to Troppo Prints in Brunswick, Melbourne for their amazing print work.


Friday, January 25, 2019

Tamil Feast

Port Macquarie has become the new home for 7 Tamil Refugees. They have moved to the area to be self-supporting and have brought with them fantastic cultural diversity. To celebrate this the Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group is organizing a Tamil Feast and Dance Event at the Port Macquarie Baptist Church on Saturday 23rd February at 1pm.
The Baptist Church has kindly offered the use of their fantastic facility for free and this is a great community service. The Tamil food will be supplied by a couple who are setting up their own catering and gardening/cleaning business.
Before the meal a classically trained dancer will be dazzling us with his Tamil dances.
Please join us for this Tamil experience. Tickets cost $25.
For catering purposes tickets will be sold in advance - you can email mncrsg@gmail.com or call Janette Jones 65858206 or 0400022874 before the 20th February.
  

IN BRIEF:
Tamil Feast and Dance Event
Sat:  23rd Feb, 2019 from 1pm - $25
Port Macquarie Baptist Church
18 McIntyre Close Port Macquarie
To buy tickets contact mncrsg@gmail.com or 0400022874.


Tuesday, January 22, 2019

February General Meeting


The next General Meeting will be held in Wauchope Arts Hall at 10.30am on Saturday 2nd February and everyone is welcome to attend.
The agenda will include ...
* follow up from the Home among the Gum Trees hosting 
* Update on Tamil refugee Support
* Up coming Vicarious Trauma Training
* Information about why Tamils became refugees in Australia