All volunteers and staff that comprise the St Agnes’ Catholic Parish flood recovery effort have been nominated for the Community Group category to receive a Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Australia Day award.

The 2022 Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Australia Day Awards recognise those in the community who go above and beyond to make a difference in the region. A total of 19 nominations were received for this year’s Award categories, with 16 citizens and three Community Groups being nominated across five categories. The presentation of the Awards which was planned for Wednesday 26 January at Wauchope RSL has moved online to prioritise community safety due to the increasing number of COVID cases in the community.

Peter Johnson, who coordinated much of the flood recovery effort in terms of the rebuilding of homes at Riverside Residential Village in Port Macquarie and Brigadoon Caravan Park in North Haven, says the commitment of staff and volunteers in helping the community has been outstanding.

He said the recovery activities of the Group were targeted at helping those in the community who were flood affected and included the provision of:

· emergency housing and accommodation

· food and clothing through the Pop-Up Pantry

· the coordination of cleanup teams from within the Parish community

· facilities for the rest and recuperation for those flood-affected and the clean-up teams

· financial relief for affected families and supporting affected businesses unable to operate

· referrals for support through government agencies and community assistance

· funding and coordination of builders and tradespeople to rebuild homes

· close working relationships with State and Federal government departments to ensure an ongoing presence and assistance for the community

“Identifying a need and doing something about it is at the core of work done by the Parish. We are very fortunate to be part of a community that constantly rallies to support those most in need in times of crisis,” Mr Johnson said.

“All members of the St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Flood Recovery Group lived up to this ideal in helping neighbours, families, friends and strangers.”

Peter Johnson said that in preparing its response to the crisis, the St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Flood Recovery Group looked carefully at what was already being offered in the community to minimise duplication and make best use of Parish resources to help where they were most needed.

“As a result, across St Agnes’ Catholic Parish and the Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Government Area, we witnessed examples of Christ’s love for one another through protection from danger, consoling after loss, the back-breaking clean-up and the long-term recovery process.”

Peter Johnson said there were many examples of how the Group had helped the community in times of crisis, which included:

• The Francis Retreat was repurposed as an Evacuation Centre for 70+ residents from Laurieton and Dunbogan for temporary emergency accommodation. The Retreat worked with the Salvation Army, Orange Sky and Hastings Co-op to care for these residents while they were dealing with impact and uncertainty of being displaced from their homes.
• The Group launched a Pop-Up Pantry, which was run by staff and volunteers, to directly help those recovering from the floods with non-perishable food and other supplies (such as blankets, linen and towels) donated by the Parish community. In the short time it was open, many people utilised the Pantry for those everyday items that were lost in the floods.
• Many of the Parish community were involved in the clean-up of residences that were flood-affected. This was particularly the case in Riverside Residential Village on Hastings River Drive in Port Macquarie and Brigadoon Caravan Park in North Haven, where many residents were left homeless. The Parish is actively working with volunteers, and State and Local Government agencies to help with furniture and whitegood donations for these residents.
• With little emergency accommodation available, the Group repurposed existing accommodation to help flood victims who were left homeless. This included the donation of furniture to be used in this accommodation.
• The Parish Community provided financial support via our Flood Relief Appeal, set up by the St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Flood Recovery Group, with donations totalling more than $20,000 and overseeing the donation of non-perishable grocery items and new bed linen and towels to the Pop-Up Pantry.

“I have been both proud and humbled by the efforts of our Parish and we are all delighted with the nomination for Council’s Australia Day award,” Mr Johnson concluded