Health student organises fun Fusion Festival
University of the Sunshine Coast public health student Sharna Taylor has organised a large community festival for Sunday 5 October to boost community wellbeing and promote Mental Health Week (5-11 October).
The free Fusion Festival, from noon to 7pm at Cotton Tree Park, Maroochydore, will feature non-stop music and entertainment, workshops, sporting demonstrations, markets and food stalls, and information about the mental health services available on the Coast.
Sharna, 26, began planning the festival during a five-month work placement with Community Focus Association Inc earlier this year as part of her degree.
After the work placement finished, though, Sharna continued to work voluntarily to ensure the festival will be bigger and better than last year’s event. This effort is even more remarkable, given that Sharna gave birth to her first child three months ago.
“The Fusion Festival will be all about community inclusion and interaction,” she said. “We want to provide a fun, positive atmosphere with the festival, but at the centre of it will be information about mental health services.”
Sharna said participation in community activities was an important aspect of community wellbeing, so festival-goers will be encouraged to try out sports and other social activities.
Among them will be belly dancing, circus school, Latin and Indigenous dancing, yoga, tai chi, meditation and sports like AFL, rugby union, cricket, sailing and kung fu.
“There should be something for everybody,” she said. "Sport and music and the other activities are great ways to create a positive atmosphere where people can interact and feel part of the community.”
Sharna said the Sunshine Coast Regional Council had donated $5,000 towards the festival and other donors had contributed a further $55,000 through in-kind donations.
She said she also received invaluable support and assistance from University of the Sunshine Coast academics and fellow students.
— Terry Walsh