Governor-General visits men’s shelter

The St Vincent De Paul Society’s (Vinnies) Bethlehem House was visited by the Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency Sam Mostyn, in August.

“I am six weeks into my time as Governor-General and I have not yet been to many parts of the country, but we wanted to come to Tasmania early,” Her Excellency said to the staff of Bethlehem House.

“My term as Governor-General will be all about care and kindness and people’s sense of belonging.

“I want to thank you all on behalf of all Australians for the work that you do here and for how long you have been doing it.”

Bethlehem House is the largest provider of crisis and transitional accommodation for men experiencing homelessness in Tasmania and features spacious bedrooms, a rooftop garden, a workshop, cooked meals, social areas and more.

Her excellency was given a tour by Bethlehem House Executive Manager Stephen Shreeve, Vinnies Tasmania CEO Heather Kent and Vinnies National President Mark Gaetani.

During the tour she met with and talked to many residents about their experiences with homelessness and how Bethlehem House is supporting them.

“Works like these hold a very special place in our hearts because these are our organisation’s core incentives and are driven by what we see in the community,” Ms Kent said.

“There are about 75 men that are accommodated on this site, and they are supported by an absolutely incredible team of inspiring individuals that work so well as a team.

“We are delighted to have seen the growth of Bethlehem House over the past 52 years.”

The tour concluded with the Governor-General presenting a historic coin to Bethlehem House as a symbol of appreciation and ongoing support.