Friend In Me hosts second family fun day
GEELONG charity Friend in Me held their second Family Fun Day in Geelong on Saturday.
The fundraiser saw more than 2,000 people come together and head to the Geelong Racecourse to be part of the day out.
Friend In Me founder Louise Larkin said the aim of the event was to create an inclusive family day where everybody is welcome, and people could come and be unapologetically themselves.
The charity promotes and advocates for inclusion and acceptance, bringing together at risk or disadvantaged children of all ages through their sensory friendly events and programs.
“This is where we’re bringing the joy, we’re bringing the magic, we’re bringing the inclusion to the community, and they can just be who they are and have a really good time,” Ms Larkin said.
Attendees were treated to a range of entertainment including, face painting, jumping castles, roving magicians, food trucks, a performance from The Mik Maks and much more.
The all abilities event also had a wheelchair swing and an Auslan interpreter on the main stage.
Children were able to sing and dance along with the music, including a special Taylor Swift set from entertainer Bethany Fisher and her dance crew towards the end of the day.
“Some of the most important and beautiful feedback I got was, there was no judgement on who they were or what their behaviour was or anything like that, everybody just welcomed each other to the event,” Ms Larkin said.
The charity hosts two main fundraising events for the year, including the Family Fun Day, and don’t receive any government funding.
“We rely heavily on community donations and community sponsorships and grants when they come up,” Ms Larkin said.
The team at Friend in Me are run entirely by volunteers.