Hospital takes an active role for open day

29 April 2010

Morisset Hospital Open Day – Saturday 8 May 2010

‘Better Keep Moving’ is the theme and activities will be the highlight of an upcoming community open day planned for Morisset Hospital.

The open day will be held on Saturday 8 May 2010 from 10am to 2pm.

It follows the success of last year’s hospital centenary, which attracted many hundreds to help current and former staff celebrate 100 years of caring.

The day is all about being physically active, participating and having fun, said Kate Simpson, an organising committee member and Nurse Manager at Morisset Hospital.

“It will give the community and our clients an opportunity to try different activities and perhaps some things they haven’t tried before,” Kate said.

Activities will once again centre on the Recreation Hall lawn and the Lake Macquarie foreshore and will include canoeing, golf, cricket, Tai Chi, line dancing, cartoon drawing and more.

There will also be Aboriginal food preparation displays, face painting and didgeridoo playing; vintage cars on display; historical museum displays; and plant and food stalls.

The Minister’s XI cricket match will be another highlight.

The good natured game is a Sydney versus Morisset affair played between mental health consumers from each area. There are often a few ring-ins on the day like former Australian cricketer Robert “Dutchy” Holland who pitched in last year when it was held at Morisset. Organised by the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, the match will be played on the lakeside oval from 11am.

Hosting a fun day that is inclusive for all is one of the organising committee’s goals.

“Hundreds of people attended last year’s centenary and we wanted to do something special again this year for our clients and the local community, and encourage them to get involved, get active and try their hand at a range of activities,” Kate said.

Morisset Hospital is a 130-bed non-acute mental health facility. Its services include Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Neuropsychiatry (which provides care for people with acquired brain injury that affects their mental health) and Specialist Mental Health Services for Older People.

The hospital is located on the shores of Lake Macquarie near the township of Morisset.

Contact: Frances Holz

Phone: 4939 2216