Tuesday 18 October 2022
The Purple Hands Foundation and the Fremantle Football Club head back to Broome for the second year of the Kimberley 9s AFL beach carnival. The football carnival is part of a wider program “Kimberley Connected” that has seen schools from across the Kimberley take part in workshops encouraging students to attend school, make positive choices for themselves and their peers and not engage in antisocial behaviour. The football carnival held on Cable Beach is the reward for students that have taken part in the workshops, attended school and been a positive member of their school and community.
The team from the Purple Hands Foundation and Fremantle Football Club arrived in Broome to unpack the Sullivan Logistics Truck that has travelled 1700kms from Fremantle Football Club HQ in Cockburn Central, Perth all the way to Broome. The truck pulling into town with its Purple Hands and Fremantle Football Club colours is an exciting sight for locals and the students that have travelled across the region to attend the event, as this marks the start of two days of fun and football on Cable Beach.
It was not only the Sullivan Logistics truck that rolled into town for the event, it was joined by schools travelling from all corners of the Kimberley region including 200 Students from as far as Wyndham and Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, Billiluna and Yiyili to the east of the region and Derby, One Arm Point and Beagle Bay to the north of Broome and Lagrange to the south.
The students not based in Broome will have the experience of staying at the Broome Camps School and other local locations to enjoy the full two-day experience here in Broome and at the carnival will be an opportunity that they would not otherwise have access to. Supported by Airbnb, the students are provided with accommodation and meals so that the significant barriers of costs are removed for the schools and students.
The support of Airbnb, Sullivan Logistics and Tyrepower signal the start of two days of football on Cable Beach.
Wednesday 19 October 2022
The day began early for the team from Purple Hands Foundation and Fremantle Football Club as they descended on Cable Beach to set up the four unique beach football pitches for the Kimberley 9s carnival. The team were joined by event supporters from Airbnb, Garnduwa, The WA Football Commission and WA Police, ready to get their hands in the sand and help make the day a unique experience for the students from across the Kimberley that have come to take part.
Students arrived in their Kimberley 9s playing t-shirts that had been designed by students from three of the participating schools. Elements from the designs of Atik Ishraq from Holy Rosary School, Camden Stevens from St Joseph’s School Wyndham and Jazmaree Rose from Derby District School were all brought together into one shirt that was on display for day one.
The event is a joint initiative between the Purple Hands Foundation, the Fremantle Football Club and the WA Police, aimed at tackling falling school attendance rates and the current topic of youth crime. Joined by Fremantle Football Club Fans and Community staff, past player Roger Hayden and current player and Broome local Bailey Banfield, the students headed down to the sand to take park in the round robin carnival, where schools had the opportunity to play against each other, which for some remote schools was a first time opportunity.
Everyone arrived to a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony delivered by Di Appleby, a Respected Yawuru women with traditional ties to the land in which the event took place. They then headed down to the white sands of Cable Beach for a day of football.
WA Police were on hand to support the event and took up important roles such as goal umpiring, running the lines and managing the school teams. Having the Police involved at this level provides such a benefit to the students and the community, and allows the students to build rapport with their local officer and see them as a “team mate” when back in their communities.
A new supporter of the Kimberley 9s for 2022 was Airbnb, who jumped at the opportunity to support a program that focuses on bringing people and communities together.
Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, said: “Airbnb is focused on using our platform to foster meaningful connection and a genuine sense of belonging, and when the opportunity to support the incredible efforts the Purple Hands Foundation has made in these communities in Western Australia, we wanted to lend our support.
The Airbnb team were busy all day making sure the students were at the right pitch at the right time, hydrated and ready to play.
The Primary School Carnival wrapped with all students, staff, volunteers and the WA Police being treated to a sausage sizzle looking over the beach and reflecting on a great day had by all. Tyrepower, no stranger to the football Club, as they support the Fremantle Football Club’s Next Generation Academy, which has been working hard to establish and grow the game for both male and female pathways in the region over the past 7 years and would no doubt have had their eyes peeled for the local talent that was on display today.
After the excitement of the first day, the Purple Hands Foundation hosted a Stakeholder event, presented by Airbnb, as a thank you to all involved. The event provided time to hear from organisations such as the WA Police, The Purple Hands Foundation and Airbnb as to the importance of the long-term goal of building positive relationships in the community and between young people, police and the communities they live in. Acting Assistant Commissioner for Regional WA, Brad Sorrell highlighted the important work that has been started by the Kimberley Connected and Kimberly 9s program in the region and the need to continue to provide opportunities for young people to engage in. Country manager of Airbnb, Sue Wheeldon commented on the synergies between the event and Airbnb in bringing people together and uniting people. With Cable Beach as the backdrop those attending enjoyed time to reflect on the day and share ideas on how to add value in the programs they deliver regionally.
Thursday 20 October 2022
The second and final day of the Kimberley 9s beach carnival saw the turn of secondary school students to show their skills on the sand. As the students arrived, they were wearing the Kimberley 9s t-shirts designed by Halls Creek District High School Students Dean Polkinhorne, who’s school team attended the event. All schools were provided the opportunity to design the playing shirt with the winning design being chosen for its colour, its story of connection and traditional markings. Past Fremantle player and current Club Indigenous liaison officer Roger Hayden commented that having students design the shirt was important because, it empowered the youth to tell their story and connect with their own culture - something the students should be very proud of.
The day was about more than just football with Foundation and program partners Zero2Hero providing a chillout zone at the event where students could take a moment to relax and reflect, and the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service were on hand delivering practical bite size workshops on social issues such as smoking and vaping, and positive safe choices. The Kimberley 9s carnival and the wider Kimberley Connected Program is focused on building positive relationships between the WA Police, the students and their communities.
Once the final siren was blown and all the pitches packed up on the beach, everyone travelled back to their homes and places of origin to tell the story of what happened in Broome. For the second year in a row the Purple Hands Foundation and Fremantle Football Club are proud to be able to create a platform that creates a genuine sense of belonging and connects the community. This event could not of happened without program sponsor, WA Police and our newest partner Airbnb. In addition, the support from Tim Sullivan and Sullivan Logistics, and the team from Tyrepower, Zero2Hero, KAMS and Containers for Change, who all provided an unforgettable experience.
