Anchor has launched its end-of-financial-year support drive in the outer east and joined forces at the same time, with a local radio station supporting their cause in style with a bit of fun thrown in the mix.
The charity group appeared in the Bayswater Hotel on Friday 30 May as part of Fox FM’s ‘Breaky in the Burbs’, bringing together radio celebrities Fifi, Fev and Nick – along with the surrounding community to a fun filled morning.
Anchor chief executive officer Heidi Tucker joined in the festivities on the day and said the event was packed with people at the Bayswater Hotel and a great boost for her organisation.
“Fifi, Fev and Nick are very real people; they really command a very warm and engaging environment,” she said.
“I thought it was a good morning, and there was quite a turnout.”
The event highlighted Anchor’s cause and specifically the story of a young woman named Ella, who 18, and lives with an intellectual disability.
A strong, young survivor, going through traumatic abuse and bullying, Anchor helps teenagers like Ella to achieve their goals and build a full and thriving life.
Ms Tucker said the fun event was great support for Anchor, who appeared as a team with a table at the hotel to highlight their cause.
“They did several radio grabs talking about what we did, particularly in our My Life Program, which is where Ella’s story comes in,” she said.
Anchor, an outer east charity, is an independent, not-for-profit organisation with a history of supporting disadvantaged people in Australia for more than 40 years.
“Even though we’ve been around a very long time, not everybody knows about us,” Ms Tucker said.
“What we often find is that when we meet community members, they go, Well, how can we help?”
Highlights on the day included prizes, live performances and a lot of crowd participation.
Ms Tucker said they were fortunate to sell some t-shirts designed by Anchor’s young people, who are in their youth foyer program in Lilydale.
“Youth Foyer is for young people who are homeless, and they can be anywhere between about 16 and 22 – it gives them two years of very low, low rent accommodation,” she said.
“It can really set them back on a trajectory where they don’t become homeless.
“We’ve been running it for 15 years, and we’ve had remarkable results.”
Anchor began collaborating with Fox FM over a year ago to bring the event to life, and Ms Tucker said the engagement was positive, with lots of the public coming up to talk to them and take brochures.
“There were hundreds of people there that morning,” Ms Tucker said.
“It was about trying to make people in our whole community aware that there are organisations like Anchor, who are assisting in turning the lives around of young people.
“These are people who are in their community, come from their community, but are not so lucky, or not so fortunate as they have been.”
Community connection shone through the event, and Ms Tucker said she hopes to continue more things like it in the future.
Anchor’s EOFY drive continues on and people can find out more about it on their website, anchor.org.au/eofy2025/
