On Thursday 6 June 2024, Campbelltown Catholic Club team and Directors were proud to represent our Club at the 2024 Clubs and Community Awards to recognise and celebrate the amazing contribution clubs across our state make to our communities.
From helping those impacted by domestic violence to making sport and other recreational activities accessible for those with disabilities, clubs across the state go above and beyond to make their communities better places to live.
We were delighted to be recognised as finalists in two categories. One of which was within the Social Inclusion category for our Corporate Partnership with amazing charity ‘Escabags‘ – who provide essential Escape Bags for Victim/Survivors of Domestic and Family Abuse.
Escabags – your first step to freedom
Domestic and family abuse is a huge issue across Australia, with 75 women being killed by a male perpetrator in 2023 alone. Closer to home, there were 1,500 reported cases of domestic violence assaults within the Macarthur region from April 2022 to March 2023. As a community club, we strive to make the lives of those in our community better. Recognising the prevalence of domestic violence in our local area we are incredibly proud to be a Corporate Partner for Escabags – an incredible charity doing valuable work in this space.
Escabags is a registered charity with the mission to alleviate the immediate trauma of domestic abuse by providing free and effective access to ‘Escape Bags’ in communities, whilst connecting victims with resources and agencies to continue their journey towards survivorship.
Escape Bags are free, non-gender specific tote bags containing the essential items that a victim of abuse and his/her children may need when initially escaping a dangerous or abusive situation, with an aim to alleviate the need to re-enter the family home to collect essential items. Each Escape Bag has been made with love by volunteers and filled in a warehouse in Unanderra, NSW, and then distributed to stockists nationwide. Over 11,00 bags have been distributed since 2020. These ‘Escape Bags’ are readily available through 1,600 stockists Australia wide such as police stations, clubs like our own, hospitals, banks, Service NSW and many government and private organisations.
Along with financial support, our team partake in a number of volunteer days to assist in bag packing, is a stockist for the Escape Bags for those who need them, actively participates in the Escabags annual aWEARness fundraising day and provided in-kind support for the Escabags bi-annual gala fundraiser event in 2023.
On the impact of support from Campbelltown Catholic Club, Escabags’ Community Engagement Officer, Marie Copp shares:
“We are honoured to have Campbelltown Catholic Club as our major corporate partner. As we reflect on the impact we have achieved together, we are reminded of the countless lives that have been touched and transformed through our collective efforts. On behalf of our entire organisation and the individuals we serve, we extend our deepest gratitude for the continued support. The partnership has been instrumental in our ability to navigate these uncertain times and ensure that our community’s most vulnerable members have access to the support they need. We thank you for your incredible generosity, unwavering commitment, and profound belief in our mission. As we look forward to the year ahead, with the ongoing support, we are confident that we can continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.”
Campbelltown Catholic Club are committed to an ongoing Corporate Partnership with Escabags and hope to assist in their plans of continuing to alleviate the immediate trauma of domestic and family abuse and connecting victims with resources and agencies to continue their journey towards survivorship.
Sources – NSW Recorded Crime Statistics April 2018-March 2023. Incidents of crime recorded by the NSW Police Force by Local Government Area: number, rates and trends.
It was fantastic to see the contribution of those in our industry and hear stories of support and positive impact. Congratulations to all award finalists and winners and thank you to Clubs NSW for a showcasing the positive impact Clubs have on our communities. For more information on the 2024 Clubs and Community Awards, details on other initiatives and winning Clubs please visit clubsandcommunity.com.
