Celebrating 40 years of serving our community

This quarter, we marked a truly special milestone: 40 years of Justice Support Centre.

The team gathered at the beautiful Woodstock Community Centre on Wangal Country for a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, held outside in cloudless, picture-perfect Sydney weather, a meaningful and moving way to open our 40th anniversary celebrations. 

From there, the day continued with a drumming circle, a wonderfully inclusive way to bring the whole team together and get everyone feeling the buzz. To mark the occasion, our CEO Melanie wrote a poem reflecting on the legacy that has carried us to this milestone: 

“Forty years of rhythm, forty years of grace, 
Built upon the hands that first shaped this space. 
The drum keeps the time, but the pulse is their own, 
A legacy deeply planted and grown. 
With every deep strike, the past comes alive, 
To honor the foundation that helped us to thrive.” 

The celebrations then moved outdoors in the sunshine, with staff enjoying a tasty BBQ lunch, lawn games including croquet, corn throw, giant Jenga and cards, with plenty of laughter included. And no birthday is complete without cake, ours was beautifully decorated and perfectly on-brand. 

Thank you to everyone who helped organise the day, and to every staff member who joined in celebrating this milestone with us. Here’s to the next forty years.