Help those who need with kindness

COMPASSION can be defined as a feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.

Celebrating Compassion is a week-long salute to the acts of compassion that occur regularly in the city, organised by Compassionate Ballarat’s steering committee.

“I think our community is full of people who do want to give, it is also full of people who need to receive and the week provides an opportunity to do so,” said Ben Kelly, steering committee Chair.

“Part of the most challenging element is finding a focus to give and receive when you can.”

Mr Kelly said the week is designed to offer a considerable number of activities and options to nurture compassion.

It is intended to create time to think about others, what is good in the community and what can be done to make it even better.

“Ballarat has its place in history in particular with childhood sexual abuse,” Mr Kelly said. “I don’t want our past to define us, we can assert what Ballarat is recognised for and compassion should be one of those things.”

All up the week has more than 60 activities and events aimed at creating a caring city.

The week commences on Sunday, 20 October at 8.30am with an opening celebration at the Almeida Pavilion on Lake Wendouree.

Then from Monday through Friday you can share a movie with someone in need at the Regent Cinema where you invite someone who could do with a break from the daily pressures of their life and their ticket will be a gift from Regent.

There’s also an opportunity to help young children embrace reading by dropping a book or two in the Compassionate Ballarat bin at Big W.

You can attend a free meditation Yoga Nidra session at Jacqui Allen Yoga Studio on Friday at 2pm and take time out to relax and rebalance.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat is offering special Art & Empathy free daily tours throughout the week which highlight specific works which may help people understand emotion and inspire empathy.

If affording a haircut is difficult, pop in Monday between 12-2pm to the Salvation Army Café on Eureka Street for a free haircut courtesy of HairAid and Eve Salon.

The week comes to an end with a Concert for Compassion on Sunday, 27 October at Loreto College.

Featuring Melbourne singer Lior, together with an orchestra of 20 and choir of 40 conducted by Richard Chew, Ballarat Arts Academy Director, the concert will present two classical pieces, the Compassion Symphony and the Victorian premiere of Stari Most, composed by Dr Chew.

For further information go to compassionateballarat.com.au/whats-on.