Picnic events help connect brain injury support group across Northern Rivers

A BRAIN injury support group is hoping to expand its reach across the region through its Picnic in the Park events, now running in Ballina and Tweed Heads.

The Brain Injury Community is a registered charity that was established five years ago to create a support network and a link between people living with brain injuries, their carers and health professionals.

The group brings together people with lived experience and volunteers who provide peer support, helping to reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation.

A recent Picnic in the Park event held at Shaws Bay attracted a range of local supporters, including representatives from Ballina RSL Club and Social Futures, highlighting growing community interest in the initiative.

Event organiser Angela Kalantzis said a key focus of the group was supporting people once they leave hospital and complete outpatient and rehabilitation programs.

“It’s about what happens when that all stops,” she said.

“Having something like this really helps. It gives people something to look forward to, and we’re working towards getting to a point where we’re doing something every couple of weeks.

“The way we can grow this is by letting service providers know it’s a safe space where we’re trying to build our own community.”

The picnic events provide an informal networking opportunity, allowing brain injury survivors to connect with one another as well as with service providers operating across the region.

It mainly operates out of Queensland and has successfully established self-sufficient local groups that run their own picnic events, a model it hopes to replicate more widely in northern NSW.

The next Picnic in the Park event will be held in Tweed Heads on Friday, February 13, at Jack Evans Boat Harbour, next to Twin Towns.

Registrations can be made via thebraininjurycommunity.org.au/event, or by contacting [email protected] for more information.