By Oscar Parry
Sunbury Neighbour Day is fast approaching, with the March event aiming to promote neighbourly and community connection among residents.
Set for Sunday, March 30, the day will involve a series of community group, organisation, and resident-led events across the suburb aimed at strengthening connections between neighbours.
Sunbury Neighbour Day co-ordinator Adelae Bowen said that the event will bring a “local flavour” to the national Neighbour Day campaign.
“I think we’re just a stronger community when we’re connected … [with our] neighbours,” Ms Bowen said.
“It’s all about making social connections with people in our neighbourhood and making Sunbury a strong and connected community.
“I think it’s all pretty important in Sunbury because our population is growing so much.”
Residents can get involved by organising their own event or gathering, which can be as simple as hosting a barbecue or a cup of tea catch-up with your neighbours.
There will also be public events around town hosted by community groups and local estates, with a list soon to be published on the Sunbury Neighbour Day Facebook page.
Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health and local community group Sunbury and Surrounds LGBTIQ Social Club are partnering to host a free event titled Meet Your Rainbow Neighbour, involving lunch and bingo for local LGBTIQA+ people aged over 50.
Community Health community engagements and partnerships team leader Lauren Tyrrell said the organisation is “looking forward to providing a safe [and] inclusive event where people can be themselves, join in some fun activities, and hopefully meet some new people from the local LGBTIQ+ community”.
“Older LGBTIQ+ people have experienced greater levels of discrimination and exclusion over their lifetimes and there traditionally haven’t been a lot of events or programs targeted specifically for them. So, we hope to see lots of new faces coming along and enjoying this event,” Ms Tyrrell said.
Ms Tyrrell said Sunbury Neighbour Day will provide local community members opportunities to “form meaningful social connections and friendships, which play such an important role in overall health and wellbeing.”
“Research shows that strong social ties contribute to lower levels of stress, greater happiness, and better mental health.”
Details: sunburyneighbourday.org.au
