POST-bushfire information and support is available every second Thursday night at Whittlesea’s bushfire recovery community meetings.

City of Whittlesea Council is hosting the meetings, which involve service organisations, case managers, volunteers, family, friends and the general community.

The meetings provide a chance for people to share up-to-date information and raise issues for discussion and action.

They also provide a much-needed chance for people who are now living elsewhere, because of the fires, to catch up.

Whittlesea Mayor Mary Lalios encouraged anyone who had not attended a meeting in a while to go along to the next meeting to stay in touch with their community.

“There are people coming from as far away as Kyneton and Hawthorn to keep up to date, seek solutions to problems and keep in touch with the community, which can be difficult when you’re living far away and unable to get back as often as you’d like,” Cr Lalios said. “Council doesn’t have all the answers, but we certainly have a strong commitment to help the community rebuild and recover. And if we don’t know an answer, then we will certainly do everything we can to find someone who does or raise it with the appropriate authority or organisation for consideration.”

The meetings are held every second Thursday starting at 7pm at the Whittlesea Community Activity Centre, 56-61 Laurel St, Whittlesea.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 25 June with guest speakers from the RSPCA who will talk about a range of assistance programs available and the Financial Ombudsmen’s Service of Victoria providing some insurance tips.

For more information call the Whittlesea Bushfire Recovery Information Line on 1300 779 183 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday), emailbushfirerecovery@whittlesea.vic.gov.au or visit www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au.