Bairnsdale’s Main Street was flooded by a sea of around 1500 people wearing orange shirts for ‘Walk to Change the Story’ on Wednesday.
Organised by Gippsland Lakes Community Health (GLCH), ‘Walk to Change the Story’ highlighted the need to end violence against women and children.
The walk kicked off at 11am when men, women, children and even some furry friends marched from GLCH to Davison Oval where they were greeted by stalls, a sausage sizzle, a drum performance by Toorloo Arm Primary School and had the chance to listen to guest speakers.
GLCH chief executive officer, Sue Medson, said it was an amazing sight to see so many people support the event.
“It’s amazing. I work in the Lakes Entrance department office and driving through Bairnsdale I could see orange t-shirts everywhere and then you get here and it is just a sea of orange, which just shows the amazing support for ending violence in our community,” Ms Medson said.
A lot of work went into making an event of this size a success and GLCH personal safety initiative local coordinator, Brea Nicholls, and specialist family violence advisor, Nicole Lewis, said it was worth all the hard work.
“Nine months of solid work has gone into this event,” Ms Lewis said.
“We got the idea to do this event through one of our team managers and we thought it was a wonderful idea and the community has really backed us. Before we knew it grew and grew and grew,” Ms Nicholls said.
With so many people turning out for ‘Walk to Change the Story’, Ms Medson believes the message to end violence is being heard.
“East Gippsland is 13th on the list of 79 local government associations, so we are right up there with family violence. Trying to raise awareness to stop that cycle and turn to other forms of resolving issues is our goal and hopefully this is the right step to do it,” she said.
At Davison Oval there were stalls where people could access information on how to get support against violence from Gippsland Women’s Health and Aboriginal organisations such as Yoowinna Wurnalung Healing Service.
Guest speakers from Victoria Police and Forest Fire Management Victoria, as well as East Gippsland Shire mayor, Cr Natalie O’Connell, and Scott Mills, from No To Violence, discussed family violence and what the community can do to prevent it.
GLCH is hoping with strong community feedback that it can make ‘Walk to Change the Story’ an annual event.
PICTURED: Toorloo Arm Primary School’s Zade Amyn and Matilda Stephenson had a day to remember as around 1500 people wore their shirt design for Gippsland Lakes Community Health’s ‘Walk to Change the Story’ event on Wednesday to raise awareness to end violence against women and children.
