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Welcome in the Lunar New Year in spectacular style with City of Canterbury Bankstown once again putting on an exciting
City of Canterbury Bankstown’s Tug O’ War Cup to say NO to domestic violence returned with power last week. Muscles
It’s beginning to look a lot like
Christmas in Canterbury-Bankstown!
If the Christmas trees going up around
our City, and the carols echoing at the
local shops haven’t already got you
excited, then this sure will… there’s
less than 30 sleeps before the big guy
in the red suit makes his rounds.
But with this Christmas joy also
comes the stark reality that there are
thousands of children who will go
without receiving a new toy this year.
There are families in our City who are
doing it tough, and simply cannot
afford to give presents or splash out
on a feast.
Families in our City are amongst the
poorest when it comes to the median
household income, with very little
savings and most, if not all, of their
money going towards rent, rising bills
and the basics.
And with the ever-increasing cost of
living, it’s becoming difficult for some
families to afford to put presents
under the tree.
Christmas time shouldn’t be spent
sweating about making sure there’s
enough cash in the wallet, or
comparing ourselves to other families
thinking ‘I wish that could be us’.
That’s why at last night’s Council
Meeting, we decided to spread some
Christmas cheer to as many
struggling families as possible.
Council is establishing the annual
Mayor’s Christmas Toy and Hamper
Drive – following the success of our
recent Anti-Poverty Week Donation
Drive. We will be supporting local
charitable and not-for-profit
organisations and the Canterbury-
Bankstown Chamber of Commerce
to collect donations from members
of the community and deliver them
to needy children and families in
our City.
I’ll be making my own donations,
and wearing a Christmas hat and
helping with deliveries, so I
encourage you all to get involved
and check Council’s website to learn
where you can make your donations.
Let’s all do our bit to make this
Christmas special for everyone.
Yours sincerely,
Clr Khal Asfour
MAYOR
‘Grief is the price we pay for love.’
And love we have for Elizabeth
Alexandra Mary, or, as we all fondly
know her, Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty served her people
selflessly with kindness, loyalty and
dignity over seven remarkable decades.
She was an institution and a pillar of
strength over many years. Her grace
and dignity brought nations together,
no matter their religious beliefs or
economic circumstances.
The devastating news of her passing
shocked us all and her loss is being
widely felt, not only throughout the UK,
but across the world. For many,
the news took us on a trip down
memory lane and was tinged with
fond memories.
You might recall the Queen’s visit on
May 27 1980 to proclaim Bankstown a
City. Thousands turned out to welcome
the Queen, and her late husband Prince
Phillip, as they walked through a
cheering crowd, and streets lined with
old Holdens and Valiant cars.
It has been wonderful to see locals
share their memories of the visit, one
sharing that she remembers sitting on
her father’s shoulders and “seeing her
green hat”.
During her trip, Her Majesty signed the
Civic Tower’s visitors’ book;
a piece of history we will always
treasure, but not the only mark the
Queen has left on our City. She will
continue to inspire us all and her legacy
will live on.
As many gathered to bid Her Majesty
goodbye early this week, including our
own Prime Minister Anthony Albanese,
it is only fitting that our country takes the
time to mourn the loss of the woman
who touched so many people’s lives.
In tomorrow’s (Thursday 22 September)
national day of mourning, I hope that we
can all take a moment to reflect on the
difference she has made to our world.
Council will be broadcasting the
National Memorial Service at 11am on
social media, and as a further mark of
respect, a dedicated area at the
Bankstown Library and Knowledge
Centre with photos and headlines of
her visit, including the official visitors’
book she signed all those years ago.
A loving mother, grandmother,
great-grandmother. Rest in Peace Ma’am.
Yours sincerely,
Clr Khal Asfour
MAYOR
Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders.
Investing time and listening to our
young people is paramount to
creating a better society, both now
and into the future. And with an
ageing population, we must never
lose sight of this fact.
This was quite evident during the past
week, as we celebrated United
Nations International Day of Youth.
The day itself may have come and
gone, but it is an important reminder
of the role we can all play in
mentoring and educating the young
people in our lives.
Young people can learn a lot from
those with years of experience, and
equally the same can be said for our
older generation.
In Canterbury-Bankstown, we have
more than 65,000 young people
between the age of 12 and 25 – that
makes our City one of the largest in
that age group in the state!
With their incredible talent,
dedication and energy, they play an
important role in our community. Their
inspiration and perspectives help
make our City stronger.
That’s why we invest in programs and
events to help them thrive. Over the
weekend, we saw hundreds of
families and young people turn out to
listen to the tunes of renowned pop
star, Dami Im.
From entertainers, to sports stars, to
academic achievers, or community
leaders, our young people strive to be
the best and are truly an inspiration
to many.
Council also has an awesome youth
team, who coordinate a wide range of
programs to support young people at
Belmore Youth Resource Centre
(BYRC). From after school drop-ins
and homework help, to dungeons and
dragons games nights and sporting
programs, BYRC is a one stop shop for
young people in our City.
I have no doubt the engagement and
fruitful discussion by those involved
in the groups at BYRC add another
layer to the fabric of our City. And, I
hope to see more young people get
involved.
Yours sincerely,
Clr Khal Asfour
MAYOR
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