In July, Traf District News reported on the return of a Buln Buln East soldier’s bugle to the area. Another chapter in the story of the bugle, thought to have belonged to George Eyre, has emerged.

On Wednesday July 16, Acting Minister for Community Sport, Gayle Tierney announced 827 grants amassing over $1 million for sport clubs around Victoria.  The Trafalgar Park Community Hub was granted $4,000 to introduce pickleball into the local community.  A cross between badminton, tennis and table tennis, pickleball is a sport for all ages and abilities that can be played in singles or doubles, indoors or outdoors.

We will not fill this article with a lot of statistics but two are important. First, homelessness officially increased in our area by 60% between the 2016 census and the 2021 census and we all know things are tougher now than they were in 2021. We also know that people living rough were very unlikely to fill in a census form, so the 60% figure could be significantly higher. Secondly, all the agencies dealing with homelessness and poverty report a sharp increase in the need for their services, due in a major way to very noticeable increases in the cost of living. Jason and Kerry Rantall run Bettermentall Inc. and they are dealing with this major problem on a daily basis. They are trying to make a difference and they are making a difference, so we asked Jason how the problem can be solved.