Keep up the kindness, it’s making a difference

BY CR BEN TAYLOR

MAYOR, CITY OF BALLARAT

I HAVE been really encouraged by the generous and warm-hearted response from the Ballarat community to the Be Kind campaign.

We’ve seen people paying for takeaway coffees for health care workers, we’ve seen people buying flowers to give to hospital staff and the vulnerable in our community, restaurants offering free food to the elderly, while others are sending ‘kindness’ postcards to check in on neighbours and still maintain proper social distancing.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen our community be kinder to each other. There are stories everywhere of people being amazingly kind to those around them.

It’s fantastic that the Ballarat Be Kind campaign has been so successful that it’s been replicated by many other Councils across Victoria and other states including Yarra, Baw Baw, Golden Plains, Moreland, Casey, Campbelltown, Central Goldfields and Frankston, with others soon to follow.

While we’re asking the community to ‘Be Kind’, we’ve also asked residents to ‘Be Bold and Stay Home’. I’ve been so proud of the overwhelmingly positive response to that message. The majority of us are doing the right thing – only leaving our homes for groceries and other essential goods, for medical needs, to provide care to others or to exercise.

We are flattening the curve and I thank you all. Ballarat thanks you too.

So, we’ve asked you to Be Kind, and to Be Kind and Be Bold.

Now we’re asking you to Be Kind and Be Creative.

As social lockdowns continue the City of Ballarat is offering creative ways to continue to engage with each other, to economically support creative micro-businesses and sole traders and to show compassion.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll release a program of activity as diverse as creating community-led podcasts and providing opportunities to join a group sing-a-thon.

The program Be Kind – Be Creative will provide added opportunities to respond creatively to these new and changing circumstances.

There’ll be a video series to give you a peep into our creative institutions.

For example, we’re not able to open the Art Gallery of Ballarat because of stage three restrictions, instead, we’re holding virtual tours where people can see the artworks and hear all about the artist and the piece of work.

It’s taking a tour of the Art Gallery in a different and creative way!

Instead of our planned Open Studios event where you can join artists for workshops in their studios, we’re encouraging people to join in virtual workshops from home.

You’ll see what the artist is doing every step of the way and learn from them, just in a digital way instead of it being a hands-on experience.

There are also couch choirs – imagine singing along with a whole group of other people from the comfort of your loungeroom? Images of singing residents from locked-down towns all over the world have been incredibly uplifting. I imagine our couch choirs will be equally rewarding.

You’ll be able to enjoy community podcasts to discover how people are coping with the stage three restrictions, and community-focused TV programs designed to connect community groups and school-aged children.

Be Kind – Be Creative is a wonderful way to make sure creativity in our city continues, despite the current restrictions.

I would urge everyone to find their inner creative at some stage over the next weeks. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for more details.

And thank you again Ballarat. Be Kind, Be Bold and Stay at Home and Be Creative.

OPINION PIECE