Valuable visit
On behalf of the Tathra Preschool community we would like to thank Bega Cheese for sponsoring the Bravehearts organisation to deliver their “Ditto Keep Safe Adventure Show”.
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On May 6, the children and parents enjoyed a fun and informative show about personal safety, empowering children to speak out about unsafe situations.
There was lots of laughter, dancing and singing with Ditto the lion cub, while learning about this important topic.
Many thanks.
Jane Courtney and Natasha Scott
Tathra Preschool
Vision of shire
The latest copy of the Holiday Guide published by the Eurobodalla Shire Council reminds those who are fortunate enough to live or holiday here of the magnificent natural attractions of the shire.
The writer of the guide waxes lyrical when she says, “Whether it’s diving under a wave, or a gentle dip in the calm waters of a secluded bay, exploring a stunning ancient headland, or resting on a riverbank, Eurobodalla offers an endless panorama of unspoilt beauty to recharge your mind, body and soul”.
How can this vision possibly be reconciled with a celebration of the recreational killing of animals?
Shire councillors, with only three exceptions, seem to have blinded themselves to the present and future image of the nature coast, and the wishes of the electorate, when they decided to allow such damaging event as HuntFest to take place every year for five years in the main street of Narooma.
How Life Should Be, or Narooma Home of HuntFest?
Don’t wait till the next election to make your wishes known, as it may be too late.
Citizens can help now by entering in, or visiting, the photographic exhibition to be held concurrently with Huntfest.
The exhibition will feature photos of live animals in their natural environment, along with a section that best conveys the reality of hunting, guns and the killing culture in Australia.
http://animalsinthewild.info/2015/03/30/animals-in-the-wild-2015/
Susan Cruttenden
Dalmeny
Damaging stigma
Should schizophrenia be renamed to help reduce the stigma that surrounds people with the illness?
The suggestion continues to spark debate.
There is no question that people living with schizophrenia are still stigmatised.
We know that people diagnosed as having schizophrenia die up to 20 years earlier than others in the community and a few years ago schizophrenia was declared the ‘abandoned illness’ by the Schizophrenia Commission in the UK.
Now new research, the largest study to explore renaming the illness, has again highlighted the complexities of damaging stigma associated with diagnoses, particularly schizophrenia.
After surveying more than 1600 people, researchers in the UK conclude that “any decisions to rename should be made with caution”.
However, they add “a decision not to rename may overlook an important opportunity to tackle damaging stereotypes”.
In Japan, after they changed the name, psychiatrists were almost twice as likely to tell their patients about their diagnosis.
Furthermore, 86 per cent of psychiatrists said it was also easier to talk to their families and discuss the treatments available.
Award-winning Australian poet and author Sandy Jeffs has lived with schizophrenia for 38 years.
She says, somewhat despairingly, that even though mental health is discussed more openly and other mental health conditions become more visible, schizophrenia has retreated further into the shadows.
In a recent essay shortlisted for the Gavin Mooney Memorial Essay Competition, she says: “One has to be brave to say ‘I have schizophrenia’”.
What’s needed most is a change of attitude across the community.
SANE Australia recently called on the Federal Government to put in place a five-year national stigma reduction campaign.
During this year’s Schizophrenia Awareness Week (May 17-23), I again urge the government to support this initiative, so that we can build a fair, decent and prosperous Australia in which we all have a place and contribution to make.
Jack Heath
CEO SANE Australia