Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently visited Coffs Harbour's Men's Resource Centre, run by Bridging the Gap Community Services, which is operated entirely by volunteers and community donations. The centre helps local men experiencing anxiety, depression or homelessness by providing counselling, meals and a safe place to regroup. The men they see are often socially or financially disadvantaged; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men; men suffering from relationship breakdowns or trauma, or mental health challenges; or men who have recently been released from custody. It receives no government funding, something that I hope to assist with in the future.

The CEO is Jean Clayton, who started the service about 15 years ago and does a wonderful job. The centre is run out of a modern, attractive house in the Coffs Harbour CBD through the generosity of local business owners Bruce Hibbard and his partner, Bronwyn Stephens. Bruce has been a builder in the Coffs Harbour region for 40 years and now constructs new homes all over the state, including in Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Dubbo, Mudgee and Orange. Bruce and Bronwyn are truly generous people, as they let Bridging the Gap Community Services be run from their house for free because they believe in the benefits it provides to the local community. I thank them as well as all the wonderful volunteers at Bridging the Gap.