Over the past 28 years, hundreds of thousands of Australians have taken part in Winter Sleepouts to highlight the plight of Australia’s homeless people and raise funds to assist them.

The reasons behind the Winter Sleepouts are:

1. Educate yourself

2. Raise awareness

3. Create real impact

4.Grasp what it’s like

5. Gather with friends for the greater good

Twenty-eight Lumen Christi students gathered with a number of staff to sleepout in the college grounds last Friday night.

The night was a great success, with a couple of special guests – John Liston and Teresa Hamer – dropping by to add their support.

All money raised will  go to Sr Rei and the community in Pontevedra in the Philippines.

A number of staff provided food and musical games to keep the participants warm and entertained throughout the night.

Several Year 12 students came along to support the cause, despite having a full day's work on Saturday.

The 2017 St Vincent de Paul Blanket Ride and Winter Appeal was the most successful to date and we thank the corporate partners for their much valued support: Robert Smith Furniture, Club Bega, Club Sapphire, Sapphire Marketplace, Target, Woolworths, Big W, Coles Bega, Furniture One Bega, Harris Scarfe, Merimbula Tourism Information Centre, Betta Home Living Bega, Grand Hotel, ABC South East and 2EC/Power FM.

The ride was supported by a wide range of social motorcycle clubs and riders from the Bega Valley and Batemans Bay community, with members of Rotters, Bastards, CRABS Bermagui, BREW, Women On Wheels, Australian Social Motorcycle Club, United Motorcycle Riders, Sapphire Coast Ulysses, and the Far South Coast Social Riders – as well as a number of independent riders all together for a common cause.

Three trailer-loads of blankets, bedding and warm clothes – plus $1800 – has been donated to those doing it tough this winter.

I am really grateful for all the public support throughout the months leading up to the ride, we are so lucky to live among such a wonderful community.

It is quite humbling to see how much people are prepared to do to help those who need it. 

As the number of citizens able to afford a ticket on the SS Zingel Place continues to plummet each year, it seems somewhat ironic that the vessel’s crew –  allegedly employed to look after the welfare of its passengers –  continues to grow in both number and cost, while toiling away in five star luxury.

The Bega Valley Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association (BVSRRA) believes that the council will face its biggest test since being elected when it discovers later this month if it has the character and courage to require council’s bureaucrats to manage within the shire’s means.

The BVSRRA believes that council should cut its coat according to the shire’s cloth and that the elected council should insist that operating expenses be reduced by least $1.6million in the General Fund budget, so as to ensure that expenditure does not exceed forecast income and avoid the necessity of dipping into reserves and pursuing further borrowings.

For the claim ‘fit for the future’ to mean anything, councillors need to insist that council management must start to value ratepayers’ funds as much as they value their own.