Anglicare’s bushfire recovery coordinator Jo Murrell recently hosted a morning tea and a plant giveaway to support community members who were affected by the Black Summer bushfires. The initiative was started by Wagga Wagga locals and avid gardeners, Keith and Eva Bergmeier who provided over 200 plants from their own extensive garden with specimens including ferns, lavender, fuchsias, lilies, chrysanthemums, carnations and bromeliads.
“I just knew that Anglicare that they were doing a lot of relief in the fire zones. We often heard of the work they were doing in the area but we decided to wait until homes were rebuilt before offering the plants,” says Eva. Jo is delighted by the range of benefits that an initiative like this gives to a community. “As well as promoting environmental growth and renewal on people’s properties, it’s also a beautiful and tangible representation of the psychological recovery they themselves are going through,” explains Jo. The MLHD Mental Health Clinicians also provided mental health support on the day.
“The morning tea is a wonderful chance to people to get together and check in on each other. People had a chat and a cup of tea, and were able to connect and heal,” says Jo. “This sort of get together also shows people that Anglicare is still here supporting them, and allows us to gauge how people are doing.”
Feedback from the community was extremely positive with people commenting on their appreciation for Jo’s ongoing support and for Keith and Eva’s generous donation.
Pictured below: Jo, Eva and Keith at the plant giveaway in Batlow
