What's on in Peer Connect?

Peer Connect is a collection of events and groups designed to provide a space for our community to support, share and learn with each other… here’s what’s on:

New April to June 2022 Calendar out now!

Check out our Peer Connect Calendar giving you a look at what's scheduled for the next three months!

Recap of last month's Peer Connect Info Share session: Making the most of your NDIS

Nine people attended our online peer group chat last month about how to make the most of your NDIS. Peers enjoyed the opportunity to connect for the first time since Christmas, and it was great to see everyone contributing their experiences, ideas and building the community of peer wisdom and fellowship.

Celebrating International Women's Day together

The clouds cleared and the sun shone for our International Women’s Day picnic in Parramatta Park earlier this month, where 16 women of all ages and cultures gathered together from near and far to re-connect for our first face to face event since June 2021.

Our friend Sue gave a lovely Welcome to Country and we heard some beautiful stories of family, resilience and hope in the sharing circle. The high tea picnic hampers and goodie bags were a hit and everyone left feeling energized and connected. We hope this event will become an annual fixture on our Peer Connect calendar!  

Here's some really lovely feedback our Program Coordinator, Carolyn Campbell McLean received from people attending the picnic:

"I’d like to thank you and the wonderful MDNSW for organising such a well put on event on celebrating and recognising the women in our community. It’s always so wonderful to be with women who get it. It makes me feel so accepted and safe, a community to really be myself. As a “younger” person it also gives me women to look up to, genuinely."

"As women who also intersect with disability, CALD identity and motherhood we are living the #Breakthebias IWD theme in so much of our daily lives, our work and our advocacy that the MD lunch provided an essential counterpoint to that. It was a soft spot to relax and let our guards down. It was an opportunity to catch up with friends who ‘get it’. The purple theme, the individual grazing boxes, white rose and gift bag made us all feel appreciated and pampered. Creating that space is so valuable particularly with the challenges we face but especially after the extended isolation of the pandemic for our vulnerable community. I think we all left feeling uplifted and recharged. It was such an enjoyable afternoon the time slipped by so fast!"

Family Fun Day at Taronga Zoo   

Join other MD members and families on Tuesday, 12 April from 10am - 4pm for a fun day with the animals in this beautiful harbour location. We’ll meet at the Taronga gates at 10am to explore all the Zoo has to offer at your own pace and then catch up again at 12 noon for a bit of lunch. 

Just $10 per person or $25 per family will cover your Zoo entry and lunch pack, you just need to arrange your own transport to and from Taronga. And remember to charge your batteries as Taronga is hilly! 

This is a COVID safe event so up-to-date vaccination, social distancing, and check-in is required. Please book by Friday, 1 April. If you have any queries, contact Laura at laura.howard@mdnsw.org.au or on 02 8985 9857. 

Summer Camp in Winter is on its way! How COOL is that?

Sadly we had to postpone our greatly anticipated Summer Camp, however, we are now planning Summer Camp in Winter! How cool is that? The new dates for Camp are 7 - 10 July 2022! One of our keen campers is 11 year old Bailey.

 "I enjoyed the camp zoom catch up because it was fun and good to see everyone. I really liked the magician as he was interactive and was funny.  The animal encounter was interesting and entertaining. I liked coming up with ideas for the next camp, and can't wait to attend in July."  - Bailey 

Neuromuscular community celebrated at the Big Red Roll + Stroll!

Over the weekend, we held the annual Big Red Roll + Stroll which saw 52 participants register and help raise more than $47,700 for our neuromuscular community! 

We just want to give a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who supported the event and made it possible, including our:

• Top individual and team fundraisers
  • Natalie Macaulay - raising $3,731
  • SMArties and friends team - raising $18,986
  • Community Ambassadors
    • Roisin O'Hagan and her son Patrick
    • Carolyn Campbell-McLean
    • James Dunstan
    • Scott Green
• Partners: Hireup, Kids Neuroscience Centre, Housing Hub, Physical Disability Council of NSW and Winston Hills Lions Club
• Major dollar match donor and all of the generous donors
• MDNSW staff, especially Joyce our fundraising guru for organising the event!

Registrations and donations will remain open until 08 May 2022 for anyone who couldn't complete their BRRS challenge over the weekend, but still wants to contribute. Click here to register. 

MDNSW Members join the Coogee Surf Life Saving Team!

Last year we partnered with Coogee Surf Life Saving Club (Coogee SLSC) for a NSW first online training program, offering young people living with a neuromuscular condition the opportunity to become official volunteer Coogee SLSC Patrolling members, and hold a Surf Life Saving Award.

Patrick, Scott and Jai all joined the free program and completed three training sessions where they learned about radio operations (two online and one in person). The third and final session was held earlier this month where all three were assessed and successfully completed the course. They are now official members of Coogee SLSC!

“I would just like to say that I'm very proud to represent the community as a surf lifesaver as well as someone who has a disability and I think it is important for people to know that and how having a disability doesn't stop us from doing such things.“ - Patrick.

Thanks to our Official Partners