There was a break in the weather just in time for a special Community Open Day held to celebrate the Yangebup Family Centres 25th Anniversary.
Special guests including Hon Simone McGurk (Minister for
Communities), Hon Dr Carmen Lawrence (former Premier), Hon Fran Logan (Minister and Member for Cockburn) and Mayor Logan Howlett (City of Cockburn) mixed with locals, past members, committee members, staff, partners and volunteers for a day of celebration.
The Leeming Area Band Clarinet Ensemble and Choir4kids provided entertainment. There were a
host of activities for the kids including henna, face painting, reptile handling with Vanessa Paget's Bush Wisdom, karaoke and a bouncy castle. A wide range of community stalls provided local information which included Neighbourhood Watch, resident associations, Little Athletics, Girls Brigade, City of Cockburn Family and Support services, Connecting Communities for Kids and centre groups like Crafternoon Tea and our seniors group, the Yangebup Leisure Group.
A special presentation was held with Minister McGurk and Dr Lawrence presenting awards of recognition to past members of the Yangebup Family Centre. Minister McGurk said “Centres like this really are the pulse of the local community and, from a State Government point of view, we recognise that and we want to do all that we can to continue to support centres like this.“
The Yangebup Family Centre welcomed Dr Lawrence back to the centre after originally opening the centre on the 14 August 1992 as part of a government initiative to invest in a program that would be good for the long term. Dr Lawrence said” They work extremely well. The education of children, play opportunities, the connection of parents, the
reduction of isolation, the place for people to come and do other things. These were all our goals and I’ve seen them realised in spades. That small investment all those years ago, and frankly the small investment today still on a recurrent basis, produces outcomes that I think we should never underestimate.“
Over the years the programs
provided at the Yangebup Family Centre have changed as the community has evolved. From Tai Chi to Facebook for Beginners, from the Country Women’s Association to Women of the World. The centre currently provides a home to 14 regular groups and a wide range of workshops with around 500 families attending regularly.
Dr Lawrence added,” This is
not about service delivery, this is about community building community participation.”
Yangebup Family Centre Manager, Samantha Williams said, "The Yangebup Family Centre is a cultural hub where everyone is welcome. Today's celebrations are a true reflection of our commitment to supporting the local community, and we want to ensure that the Yangebup
Family Centre continues to provide a place for community, where everyone can belong."
Photo Credit: Finestone Photography
