A MERGER between two drug and alcohol recovery services will combat drug and alcohol overdose deaths on the Mornington Peninsula, which are climbing back towards pre-pandemic levels. Windana drug and alcohol recovery service is merging with TaskForce Community Agency, a not-for-profit with a focus on drug and alcohol misuse, youth and family services, education and employment. Data released last Thursday (9 November) by the Victorian Coroners Court shows overdose deaths in the past decade are back to alarming levels, with 21 on the peninsula in 2013 before dropping to nine in 2019 and climbing back to 15 in 2022. In…
Author: Liz Bell
AT just 12 years old, Jackson Martin from Arthurs Seat is already a hit in the world of squash. The talented young sport star will next week represent Victoria at the Australian Individual and Teams Championships in Brisbane. Jackson has set his sights on finishing in the top 10 of the more than 250 competitors from all over Australia. The grade six student at Red Hill Consolidated School has been honing his skills at Tonic Squash and Gym in Dromana under the eye of his mother, Amelia Pittock, who was once world-ranked number 26. She describes Jackson’s journey into the…
IN a post-COVID world where many people are searching for new connections and opportunities, one organisation is reaching out to offer a way to get involved with the community. The volunteer-based CFA is always seeking new volunteers to help it continue its mission of helping the community, responding to emergencies and supporting other services in times of community need. Mornington Fire Brigade is currently on a recruitment drive after its volunteer numbers have since 2016 dropped from around 80 to 30. Captain Michael Licciardo said the sense of satisfaction volunteers got from helping the community and being involved in something…
IT’S well known among equestrians that being around horses can have a therapeutic effect on mental health, but there are also a range of physical and social benefits that come with riding these beautiful animals. The coordinator at Riding for the Disabled Peninsula, Jenny Stidston, says the program is helping riders gain confidence, and at the same time improving their coordination, balance, muscle development and communication skills. “RDA helps to enrich lives through specialised programs and a relationship with horses, and it can be very helpful for people with a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities,” she said. Stidston says…
NEW data from the Peninsula Community Legal Centre indicates that 42 per cent of renters seeking assistance from the organisation had received a notice to vacate their homes from their landlord, representing a six per cent increase in the last six months. This increase occurred against a backdrop of a national rental crisis fuelled by record-low vacancies, a critical lack of affordable and social housing, and a cost of living crisis. As well as Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula, the legal service covers residents in Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs. CEO Jackie Galloway said the situation for renters was worse now…