Community rallies to provide support
The toughest of times can bring out the best in people. Last week we bore witness to the incredible strength of our community here in Newcastle.
Learning that COVID-19 had found its way into our on-campus student accommodation was hard. But a very worrying situation turned into a source of great pride as our University and the wider community responded. In a matter of hours we received donations and offers of help from local businesses, community members, staff and other students.
Every single one of these acts reflects a generosity of spirit that makes our regions special.
"In our Looking Ahead Strategic Plan we have made Connected Communities a priority. Under this part of the plan, we are working on a range of initiatives to help keep our communities connected and strong," Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO said.
"But last week, we were at the receiving end, when the wider community embraced our students during a stressful time.
"These actions reinforced another of our priorities – the importance of nurturing community-mindedness in our students," Professor Zelinsky said.
No doubt the students who were made to feel a part of something bigger last week, will carry that forward in their lives.
Our heartfelt thanks to
- The University of Newcastle Student Association (UNSA) and OzHarvest who provided 1.5 tonnes of food, individually packed into 120 boxes. The UNSA team put together 160 care packages of activity packs and food items with the support of two dozen staff to coordinate the food drop.
- Local business the Jesmond Fruit Barn for providing fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Woolworths who delivered three tonnes of product – everything from cereal to deodorant to microwave popcorn.
- Our partners at Hunter New England Health and NSW Pathology who took extraordinary steps to ensure our affected students had access to testing and quick results, bringing great relief to the students and their families.
- Our local police for their rapid response and providing us with extra surveillance and support.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.