On Saturday 3 October, hundreds of people gathered in Wallsend to see the Newcastle Knights off to the NRL Grand Final.
What was meant to be a morning of celebration became something very different when a car struck people in the crowd.
For the people who were affected by the incident, the aftermath doesn't necessarily end when the immediate danger is over. People may be dealing with what they saw, what happened to them, helping someone else, or simply trying to make sense of an experience they never expected to have.
Reflex is providing free, short-term trauma support to people affected by the incident.
We're a local organisation, and we're already here.
A response to an incident like this shouldn't depend on whether someone can afford a counselling session.
That's why we're keeping this support free.
But providing free support takes resources and the need will continue well beyond the first few days.
We're looking for organisations, businesses and community partners who want to help make sure people affected by what happened can access support when they need it.
You can help cover the cost of short-term support for people affected by the incident.
Your organisation could fund a number of sessions, contribute to the overall response, or make a donation that helps us keep the service available as more people reach out.
You may already have a connection with people who were at the event.
Sharing information about our free support through your members, staff, customers, supporters or community networks can make a real difference.
People don't necessarily know they might need support yet. Making sure they know where to go can mean they're able to reach out when they're ready.
If your organisation has a role in supporting the Newcastle community, we'd like to talk.
There may be ways we can work together to reach people, fund support, or strengthen the local response as the needs of the community become clearer.
One organisation can't provide everything people might need after an incident like this.
People may need different kinds of support at different times. Some will need short-term help. Some may need longer-term counselling. Some people need some written resources. Some may not need anything at all.
Our role is to provide a place people can turn to when they're finding the aftermath difficult, and to help them work out what they need next.
We're also supportive of calls for a broader, coordinated response to the incident.
Community organisations shouldn't have to carry that responsibility alone.
But while that response is being worked out, people are already living with what happened.
We can help now.
If your business would like to support the Newcastle community, you can make a contribution through the form below. We’ll also be celebrating the local businesses that step up to support the community, helping people know who the legends are behind this response and where their support is going.
Donations will help us meet the increased demand for free, trauma-informed support for people affected by the Wallsend tragedy.
They may also help keep our service running and make sure we can continue providing support like this when communities need it.
