Families embrace new toddler campaign

Families embrace the talk, sing, read & play mantra for the Words Grow Minds campaign

A free community playgroup session held last Wednesday as part of the recently launched Words Grow Minds campaign attracted a good rsponse with 40 childnre and 35 accompanying adults taking advantage of the free activies on offer at the Mount Gambier Library – a session set ujp in conjunction with Playgroup SA. The activities were all

about highlighting the importance of four key areas in development in childnre three years and under – talk, read, sing, play. The Words Grow Minds campaign, which launched was launched last month by former Federal Minister for Early Childhood and Chair of the Early Years Taskforce Kate Ellis as a six week pilot program, evolved out of research that showed children were not heading to school ready to tackle those early years of schooling. The Mount Gambier Library offers similar early childhood programs four times a week at the facility. open to all to attend.

FUN FILLED MORNING: (Top row from left) Ellie Sampson (2) playing with the duck pond; Kaiden Ruediger (4) building a huge tower & Ashlea Dunn reading to Luca (1) & Lyla (3) and (bottom row from left) Ashlee Whittaker working the play dough with her daughter Hallie (3); Parker Edwards also making a play dough creation & Bodhi Drenthen (2) channelling his inner Piicasso at Wednesday’s community playgroup.

Grief counselling services on offer

Almost two years ago a new chapter in palliative care in this region was started with the establishment of In Home Hospice Care Mount Gambier. Staff were put in place, volunteers have been trained and IHHC started to fill a genuine void in the community.

The primary purpose of IHHCare is to provide specially trained volunteers to support people who have a life-limiting illness, along with their families and carers, to enable them to remain in their own home for as long as possible.

Part of that service is Glenny Tiller, a grief counsellor, who offers her services free to help clients and families through what can be a difficult time.

“Our volunteers do not provide a medical or clinical service, but are about supporting either the patient, or family members with practical and holistic care,” Glenny said. “My role within In Home Hospice Care is as a grief counsellor and I am privileged to offer my services to our community members.”

Free grief counselling is offered as a validation of the real pain and suffering of people who are mourning a loss in life. Grief is raw and ugly, and often family and/or friends are too close to talk to, even if they want to help. A grief counsellor can be impartial and is removed enough from the immediate situation to be able to listen objectively, whilst supporting the bereaved individual.

“I have qualifications and training, as well as lived experiences in grief and loss which have developed in me a passion to help others,” Glenny said. “I am able to offer individual counselling, and instigate support groups, including for mothers of stillborn babies, family grief counselling, or just informal discussion around death, dying and subsequent grief.”

In the lead up to the festive season, Glenny will be available at the Mount Gambier Public Library for an informal chat in relation to grief and loss on the following dates and times: December 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22, from 10am to 1pm.

The Grief, Loss and Bereavement program is generously funded through the Masonic Charities Trust.

For further information please phone the office on (08)8725 4778 or Glenny’s work phone on 0422 832 975. Office hours are Monday to Thursday from 9am – 3pm.