The Mullum Recovery Centre has been recognised as a finalist in the NSW Resilient Australia Awards 2023. While the centre did not take out the top spot in the local government category, being recognised as a finalist is a great acknowledgement of the valuable work that was done in connecting the community with recovery services.
In the wake of devastating flood events in February and March 2022, the Mullum Recovery Centre was set-up at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall to provide support to disaster-affected residents from March to August 2022. It was a place for impacted residents to connect with information, support, and each other. In addition to providing formal support services, it was also important to create a welcoming space.
Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon said that the Mullum Recovery Centre was an example of how Council and community work together to support local residents and that the people involved with setting up and running the Mullumbimby Recovery Centre wholeheartedly deserve the recognition they have been given.
"Mullumbimby District Neighbourhood Centre, Council and Resilience NSW worked with a range of local community organisations as well as state and national services to establish the Mullum Recovery Centre in the early days after the flood events. In my eyes it is certainly a benchmark for recovery centres throughout Australia. I want to thank everyone involved and let you know that your commitment and hard work certainly has not gone unnoticed," Mayor Lyon said.
The NSW Resilient Australia Awards is proudly sponsored by the Australian Government in partnership with the states and territories and managed by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR). The awards celebrate and promote initiatives that build whole of community resilience to disasters and emergencies around Australia, and how organisations work together during disaster events.
The Centre also won the Community Partnerships award category at the 2023 LG Professionals NSW Awards earlier this year.
Council continues to work alongside other levels of government and community on the long journey of recovery and facing ongoing climate challenges together.
On a final note, Council would like to acknowledge Shedding Community Workshop, which won the Mental Health & Wellbeing category at the awards for their post-flood repair and recovery initiative. Following the flood events, the organisation transformed their small scale workshop; supporting hundreds of volunteers to salvage, assess, clean, repair, donate and deliver flood-damaged items to flood affected communities region wide.
Shedding Community Workshop also won the 2023 Community Initiative of Byron Shire award earlier this year.
