Category: News & Updates

Substantial interests & Subway for DANIEL!

Sharing classic episodes of Mr Bean is likely how Daniel will introduce himself. Smiling and chatting as Rowan Atkinson’s famous character gets himself into strife is appealing and compelling, as are Daniel’s other favourite things to watch: shark attacks, air crash investigations, ship disappearances, and other disasters or fails of epic proportions.

Yet it’s not all doom and gloom, sidestepping the fact GTA is Daniel’s favourite Xbox game, he also enjoys the softer and sweeter side of life. Subway subs are a favourite treat made by Sandwich Artists of course, with bananas and banana chips a close second foodie favourite.

Daniel loves animals and all shark species, but white pointers, hammerheads, and bull sharks are the best (questionable choices one might observe). He also loves cats and birds. Hmm, I know an old lady who swallowed a fly… Or are Sylvester and Tweety coming to mind?

Transport in general, and trains more often, are Daniel’s conversation starters. Probably developed from his childhood foundations travelling the bus routes around Brisbane with his bus driver dad. Daniel was born in Sydney, moved to Brisbane as a toddler, and knows his way around town better than most.

Daniel loves all modes of transport including trams, red double-decker buses, and ferries, and can name all the CityCats on the river. Daniel has been a valuable member of HelpAlong since January 2023. With all things motoring of huge interest, it’s not surprising Daniel likes to get out and about during his support shifts and loves a drive to Redcliffe, Mt Coot-Tha, and around north Brisbane.

Driving to shift destinations, where a Subway is usually nearby or on the way home, and listening to music are highlights of the road journey. Music is a big interest of Daniel’s, with international bands and artists such as U2, REM, Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Chillstep, and Joe Satriani favourites. But homegrown Aussie talent like Midnight Oil, AC/DC, Powderfinger, Cold Chisel and Jimmy is unrivalled. This fan base is extra credible upon learning Daniel has seen many of them live.

A favourite memory, also shared by his mum, is when a young Daniel went to a Cold Chisel concert at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall and walked amongst trees lit up with fairy lights—a real magical experience.

Thank you, Daniel, for sharing your substantial interests with us. We enjoyed getting to know you more. Anyone else feeling hungry now?

CHRIS is as happy as a fish in water!

Fishing is Chris’s favourite activity, usually enjoyed with Simba and his long-time support worker. Yet it was his family’s fishing experiences at a young age that lured him in! Only the one pun this time, maybe.

Chris became a valuable member of HelpAlong in October 2022, and considering one of his early shifts involved an outing with ‘hand-reel guy’ it’s safe to say fishing is Chris’s best memory making activity.

Although, visiting zoos and in particular meerkats are up there for favourite things to do. Probably not so much, the supported cooking activities that have only produced one signature dish of chicken stir-fry. Luckily, Dippin Dots ice cream is a treat that makes up for any underperforming meals, although it’s not so easy to find these days.

Bowling is another interest of Chris’s, and he has set himself a goal of 150 before joining a league team. His 135 average game is getting closer, but his ‘distraction’ shall we call it, of fishing and casting in our beautiful environment baits him every time. Last one!

If only dogs could talk, Simba would surely have loads to say. He might tell us how he is the decision-maker on shift. How he knows when a good run on the sand is needed to stretch the legs. How he is responsible for rehiring Chris’s support worker who gets ‘fired’ a few times every shift, such is their extraordinary understanding. And Simba would probably let us in on the secret fishing spots, the ones Chris keeps to himself!

You might think if Chris won Powerball he would travel the world fishing with his family, or design unique doggy outfits for Simba and his friends (Simba has been known to dress up for special occasions), but his winning dream is to open a meerkat sanctuary.

This reflects Chris’s nature and love of animals from his days of volunteering at Happy Paws in Dakabin to his work experience days at Birdland Animal Park in Batemans Bay, NSW.

Thank you Chris for sharing your interests and journey with us even if you kept the best local fishing spots to yourself. We understand.

Where there’s a WILL there’s a witty way!

What four letter word is the same forwards backwards and upside down? This is the riddle we read going into the shops today. And the answer? Noon, of course. Will says it like all mere mortals should know the answer. We have a laugh. There are always laughs to be had around Will. He is a character, and witty is how to describe him. But if you ask Will what word best describes himself he would say weird! And he would encourage everyone else to be their best weird. Will’s special abilities include his spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) diagnosis and his wannabe superpower is to be invisible. Why? So he can sneak up on people and say, ‘Boo!’ naturally. 

‘I can do anything with sufficient time,’ Will tells me, ‘sufficient time is not determined by you or me, but by the universe. Given sufficient time, anything is possible.’

Will became a valuable member of HelpAlong in March 2023. His supports have increased to fit in appointments like physio, shopping excursions (which may or may not include confectionery stores), aqua therapy, finding fresh air and seeking sunshine, plus favourite cultural outings in the community. Sadly for us, but hugely exciting for Will, he is moving West in a couple of months – just in time for winter weather. Hmm, not sure Will’s favourite beanie will be sufficient to keep him warm – this is where we mention Will’s ingenuity and entrepreneurial ideas such as Willy’s Warmers (patent pending, or not) note the possessive apostrophe there please! Or was it going to be Willy’s Wraps? Still using possessive form people. See, got it covered Will (pun a bonus). It has potential to be a marketing nightmare or more likely to make marketing magic. 

We need a bigger word count for Will! Maybe when he’s out bush he’ll find the time and inclination to share his own stories online in an SCA blog or the like. Thank you Will for sharing your humour with us and for being our first creative content post. 

Update: We’ve moved to a new location!

We’re thrilled to announce a significant milestone in the journey of HelpAlong Pty Ltd – we’ve relocated to a brand new address! Our team is delighted to share this exciting news with all of you, as it marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to better serve our community. Our new address is now: 14/104 […]