Shire tweaks its events calendar

THE Surf Coast Shire has made some changes to its next events calendar, expanding its terms of reference and adding an important commemoration.

Councillors considered the latest version of what is now known as the Awareness Raising Events Calendar at their meeting on Wednesday this week.

Each year, the shire decides on a list of the events it will support, with the final calendar reflecting events that “seek to raise awareness of causes that are aligned with the goals of the current Council Plan and of interest to our community,” officers stated in their report to councillors.

Although usually covering the time period January 1-December 31, the Awareness Raising Events Calendar takes in not only 2023 but also 2024 and 2025.

Officers stated the change was to align the calendar with the Council Plan of this council.

The shire has categorised its 12 events for the next three years as either Level 1 or Level 2, based on their budget and the amount of the shire’s time and resources needed to hold them.

There are two new entries in the calendar: a one-off event on February 16, 2023 to acknowledge the 40th anniversary of the Ash Wednesday bushfires; and a proposed annual “day of reflection” on January 26 to acknowledge the impact of January 26 on First Nations people, run in collaboration with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and known as Pilk Purriyn (“sunrise”).

The other 10 events and their next occurrences (some dates are yet to be confirmed) are:

* International Women’s Day – March 8 annually

* National Youth Week – April annually

* National Reconciliation Week including National Sorry Day – May 27-June 3, 2023

* IDAHOBIT – May 17 annually

* National Volunteer Week – May 15-21, 2023

* NAIDOC Week – July 2-9, 2023

* Seniors’ Festival – October annually

* Children’s Week – October annually

* Barwon Month of Action for Prevention of Violence Against Women – November annually, and

* International Day of People with a Disability – December 3 annually.