Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Salvation Army have been helping people since their formation in the 19th century and doing tremendous work to improve the lives of others, and that work extends into my electorate of Wide Bay and Noosa, where together Sharon and I and 160 other people attended the Noosa-Coolum Salvation Army breakfast at the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club. The breakfast theme was Hope Rising, and the $20,000 raised will raise the hopes of many. The event's guest speaker, Olympic medallist Natalie Cook, spoke about the importance of hope and how that connects us all. It could be the hope of winning a gold medal at the Olympics or simply the hope of a night's sleep in a safe place.

We also heard from some very brave women who spoke about their lived experience of homelessness and how the safe sleeping space that is run by the Salvation Army has changed their life. Not only has it given them a safe place to sleep but also they've followed on and become volunteers to help others at the same time, which is so tremendous.

My thanks and appreciation go to the Noosa-Coolum Salvation Army volunteers, led by Captain Matt Gluyas and fundraising committee members Penelope Lena and Donna Frey, for their commitment to helping others.