Each May, Queensland marks Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, themed ‘Domestic and Family Violence – Not Now Not Ever’, to raise community awareness of the issue and to send a clear message that this violence will not be tolerated. On Thursday, a representative of the Caboolture Domestic Violence Service presented a floral exhibition to Bribie Island and District Neighbourhood Centre, where it will be exhibited along the front entry walk during the month of May.
These lovely hand-crafted flowers are a gift to the Moreton Bay community to say ‘Thank you for keeping our region safe’. They were created by women and their families who have been affected by domestic and family violence as representations of how women can go on to grow, blossom and stand tall after experiencing domestic and family violence. Symbolically, the flowers are an ‘Expression of feelings, our message of blossoming, flowers that grow, taking us beyond domestic violence (Anon)’.
They have been transformed from used bottles to formations of colourful beauty and grace, standing independently or connected together in support of each other, depicting the changing of lives, re-emerging through recovery and healing. The colourful display can be viewed at the Centre at 9 Verdoni Street, Bellara.