After following the work of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre for a long time, friends Jacquline O’Brien and Deborah Spears wanted to do something locally to help.
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Ms O’Brien said she had been following the group on Facebook for a few years now and thought it would be great to be able to help with resources as well as monetary donations.
So she and her friend decided to come up with a fundraiser called a Cup O’ Kindness so the local Hastings community can dig deep and help the centre continue their much needed work.
“I think it is horrible the way we treat asylum seekers here in Australia and after donating to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre for a long time I wanted to see if I could do something more,” Ms O’Brien said.
“Over the years I have donated money when I could and recently I saw they were calling for blanket donations.
“I was already going to Melbourne (their headquarters) to visit family and I ended up taking a number of donations which they were so grateful for and I came away thinking, what else could I do?”
Ms O’Brien said the Cup O’ Kindness is a chance for the community to come together for a cuppa and raise some funds to help.
“Winter is so cold and especially in Melbourne the asylum seekers need all the help they can,” she said.
“Myself along with my friend Deborah are organising an afternoon tea at the Emerald Downs Community Centre on July 28, and would love as many people as possible to come along and give a donation.
“It will be a $10 entry fee and all money on the day will go directly to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre to help the struggling asylum seekers.”
And she said so far the community have rolled up their sleeves and are helping the pair get everything ready.
“We have been so overwhelmed with how generous people are.
“We will have tea and coffee and cakes donated on the day as well as guest speaker, Janette Jones, from the Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group who will tell the story of a Burmese refugee.
“But we would love more community groups to get involved and help us raise as much money for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre as possible.”
The afternoon tea will be on July 28, from 2.30-4.30pm at the Emerald Downs Community Centre and everyone is welcome to attend.
If you would like to help or donate please contact Jacquline O’Brien on 0429 823 636.
