COMMUNITY CUP READY TO ROCK

Great live music and fairly average Aussie Rules football will come together again this month when the annual Reclink Community Cup charity footy match returns to Hobart.

Part of a series of events held across the country, the Hobart Community Cup is a family-friendly day out featuring the clash between the Van Diemen Dogs team of Tasmanian musicians and the Ramonas squad of local media members, politicians, actors and other various hangers-on.

With the series tied 3-3 after six matches, stakes are high this year as both sides battle for bragging rights.

Also featuring crowd activations, fun activities for kids and live music from SPOD, Lennon Wells and Nice House, the Community Cup raises much-needed funds for national not-for-profit organisation Reclink.

Reclink’s structured sport, art and recreation programs improve life outcomes for those experiencing mental illness, family violence, homelessness, social isolation, gambling harm, unemployment, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

“Every day, across Australia, the incredible Reclink team is running community sport and recreation programs for people in our community who need it most,” Reclink Australia CEO Dave Wells said.

“The Reclink program has been proven to work – improved physical health, improved mental health, and greater social inclusion for participants.”

The Community Cup began in Melbourne in 1993, with the Melbourne event now attracting more than 12,000 people each year.

The popular event’s success saw the concept spread to Sydney, Adelaide, Fremantle, Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart, with last year’s Hobart game raising more than $16,000 for Reclink’s programs in Tasmania.

The 2023 Hobart Reclink Community Cup will be held at Queenborough Oval in Sandy Bay on Sunday 20 August. Gates open at noon. Tickets are available now via www.oztix.com.au