BLACK Saturday may have been more than 12 months ago but the devastating after affects are still being felt by a community trying desperately to rebuild their lives.
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The stories of families trying to rebuild their homes from scratch, battling financial hardships and depression, have touched the nation.
It is these stories coming out of Victoria that have inspired a small group of individuals in Bathurst to band together to form the "Good Neighbours" committee, who are planning on hosting a four-day retreat in Bathurst for 10 couples affected by the Victorian bushfires.
The group plans on pampering the couples in Bathurst with services, seminars, accommodation, dining and entertainment ? all donated by the Bathurst community.
David Swan and Christine Le Fevre from Bishop's Court are on the committee along with Peter and Karina Wright and said they got the idea while talking to Phil Harding and his wife Ann from Victoria while they were in town with the HSV Team during race week.
"She has her own motivation for working with the fire victims in and around Victoria. She understands the families are in a stressful situations," Mr Swan said.
"There is a lot of impetus if the wives are taken away and get pampered ? they will come back renewed and refreshed. She [Ann Harding] was telling us all of this in our lounge room and when she said she was organising a retreat for couples our ears pricked up.
"We decided we would give Bishop's Court as a gift. So we tick tacked back and forward until we developed a program for 10 couples who she is going to choose to come and stay.
"Then we thought, why don't we try to make this something bigger ... a whole community of Bathurst gift."
Mr Swan and Ms Le Fevre have Bathurst Regional Council's support and are now at the stage where they are calling for local businesses and individuals to get involved as well.
"We're asking people what can you offer as part of this gift to the community. If someone has got a car then they can get people around, or even if people say I'll give $10 towards this that will help," Mr Swan said.
"Just like the old fashioned church camps, we are planning a whole series of events for the week so they can choose from a program."
He said donations can range from legal or financial advice, health and beauty services, sporting venues, entertainment, food and ingredients and more.
"We'll take phone calls from people who can help. People shouldn't be afraid that they have silly ideas or only small offerings," he said.
