Founder of Be Kind Newcastle, Michelle Boundy is using her engagement party to encourage the Hunter business community to raise funds for charity and make Newcastle, and the world, a kinder place.
Michelle is hosting The Elephant in the Room, a night to raise awareness about mental health and much needed funds for Lifeline Hunter.
Seeing an opportunity to turn her engagement celebration with fiancé Anthony Foate into a way to demonstrate coming together to think of others, Michelle is inviting up to 30 extra people who are passionate about making the region kinder and willing to support Be Kind Newcastle’s work and its fundraising for charity.
Michelle was Newcastle’s community kindness champion for the Stay Kind Foundation for two years before it ceased operating in August. She said she wanted to create a vehicle to continue promoting kindness, with a focus on young people in Newcastle and the Hunter.
“I was devastated to hear Stay Kind had to close and was determined to continue to run local projects that promote the power of kindness and how an act of kindness changes lives and our communities,” Michelle said.
In 2020 she organised the 50 Walks Project and then the Bathers Way 50 Challenge for World Kindness Day where she walked 50km between Merewether Beach and King Edward Park. Last year, the 50 Hearts Project displayed hearts at Merewether Beach with messages written by Novocastrians who undertake acts of kindness in their everyday life.
“Through Be Kind Newcastle we will undertake community projects each year to make our communities kinder and reduce bullying, violence, self-harm, and suicide among young Australians and the wider community.”
Michelle wants to work with other local charities and organisations. Be Kind Newcastle is an enabling vehicle to kindness rather than a charity itself. Each year Be Kind Newcastle will hold community events and raise funds for charities that are promoting kindness.
“Our projects will be unique, inclusive and about creating strong community connections,” Michelle said.
“Our first fundraising event is for Lifeline who are a great example of how kindness can change, and even save, lives. Lifeline volunteers – from its 13 11 14 crisis supporters to people working in its shops – kindly give up their time to listen to people and to offer them hope.”
“Being kind can be a lot of fun and is good for you too. At the event we will have a live band, great food and a silent auction run by auctioneer Craig ‘Rosie’ Rosevear.”
Speakers including Lifeline Hunter CEO, Rob Sams and experts from NewPysch Psychology will join Michelle on the lounge to shine a light on the current mental health crisis in our region but also provide stories of hope, connection and on the services that are showing kindness and supporting community.
Michelle has 30 years’ experience working in human services, including in child protection, disability, drug and alcohol, mental health and work health and safety. She has also developed and implemented two highly successful and award-winning workplace wellbeing projects for the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.
IMAGE | Anthony Foate, Tim Crakanthorp, Michelle Boundy, Rob Sams (L-R).
