The Berwick Safety House committee is on the look-out for new volunteers in a bid to keep the community service running. From left: Committee president Julie Harding, Bethany Harding, Emmily Taylor and Jake Taylor.
By Rebecca Fraser
THE Berwick Safety House committee is on the brink of folding after more than 21 years of community service.
A recent public appeal has failed to attract new volunteers and committee members have now decided to hold one last meeting in a bid to save the local institution from closure.
The program offers ‘safe houses’ marked with distinctive yellow stickers which children or other community members can go to if they feel threatened or unsafe.
Five members who have more than 25 years’ safety house experience between them currently run the committee and all have decided not to renominate for their positions.
In February, the committee contacted the News about their plight to attract new parent and resident support, but only one new person attended the annual general meeting.
Committee member Megan Vella this week said following the disappointing response at the AGM the group would hold another AGM next Tuesday, 30 May, to try and attract more support.
The committee needs another four members, in addition to its new recruit, to remain operational.
Ms Vella said volunteers only needed to give up one hour of their time each month to attend a meeting and another half and hour or so if they wanted to also help monitor the area.
Committee members also do not need to have children at school, or indeed have children at all.
Ms Vella has been on the Berwick committee for the past three years and has also helped set up a safety house program at Hillsmeade Primary School in Narre Warren South, which is now thriving.
The mother of one said she initially joined the Berwick committee after hearing its cry for help some three years ago, and present members were now giving out a similar call.
Ms Vella said all present committee members needed to step down for one reason or another but would be disappointed if the organisation and the work of former volunteers did not continue.
Committee members recently sighted documents from the organisation’s first meeting more than two decades ago and it was noted that some 40 members were in attendance.
Ms Vella said since then the committee’s support had dropped dramatically but she was still keen to see the safety initiative preserved.
“If children are being chased by a dog or if they are feeling a bit scared but do not know why they have somewhere safe to go,” she said.
“Originally many children walked to and from school, but there has been a change in dynamics in society and many are now driven to school.
“But the Safety House can still be used when children are playing after school and even on weekends.”
The Berwick committee covers Berwick, Berwick Lodge and St Michael’s Primary Schools and people interested in attending the AGM or volunteering with the organisation can call Julie on 9768 9004.
