Community
14 August, 2026
Celebrating women in the community
THE Lismore-Derrinallum Football Netball Club have celebrated the success of their recent Women of the Demons Ladies Day, with strong attendance and a positive atmosphere.
The event saw the clubrooms at the Lismore Recreation Reserve filled with women from the community, with the day also proving to be a strong fundraising occasion.
The Ladies Day managed to raise $2000 through tickets, donations and raffle ticket purchases, with all proceeds going towards the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute and their work as Australia’s only regionally-based cancer research facility.
Lismore-Derrinallum Football Netball Club social committee and club life member Emily Murray said the club was proud of the result, particularly with the presence of those sharing their own cancer journeys.
“A particularly special part of the afternoon was hearing from the Wren family – Shane, Denise and Gabrielle – who very generously shared their family’s personal experience with cancer,” she said.
“They spoke incredibly openly and honestly, including about some of the difficult realities people can sometimes be afraid to ask about.
“You could see just how much their story touched the people in the room, and we are extremely grateful to them for trusting us enough to share it.
“We were also joined by Sharon, representing the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, who gave everyone an insight into the incredible work the institute does and why supporting this organisation is so important.”
The afternoon saw live music entertaining crowds, who enjoyed drinks and grazing platters while having conversations.
Games and raffles were also held throughout the event, with a number of prizes donated by individuals and businesses in Lismore and surrounds.
“The support we received from local businesses and individuals was incredible,” Ms Murray said.
“Their generosity allowed us to put together a fantastic range of prizes and helped make the event what it was.
“We are extremely grateful to every person and business who contributed, as well as everyone who purchased a ticket, entered a raffle, played a game or simply came along and supported the afternoon.
“A lot of work went into creating an afternoon that was about much more than simply holding a fundraiser.
“We really wanted to create an event that celebrated and supported the women within our community, brought people together and gave everyone a reason to connect.”
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Ms Murray said the Ladies Day event was important to the club, aiming to be a day where women, regardless of age and connection to sport or their club, could come together for a social time and feel a sense of belonging.
“Within regional sporting clubs and small communities, it can sometimes be difficult to create social events that genuinely appeal to women of all ages and stages of life,” she said.
“There is something really special about bringing women together in a regional community.
“Ladies Day gave us an opportunity to celebrate that sense of community, womanhood and sisterhood, and to create a space where women could connect, support one another and simply enjoy an afternoon together.
“It was beautiful to look around the room and see women of different ages, from different towns and with different connections to the club, all enjoying themselves together.
“There were new connections being made, lots of laughter and a really wonderful atmosphere throughout the afternoon.”
Ms Murray said she hoped the club could continue to build on the success of this year’s Ladies Day through other social events for the community.
“One of the biggest things we hope people take away from the day is that our football netball club is about more than what happens on the court or football field,” she said.
“We want our clubrooms to be a place where women within our community feel welcome whether they are a player, supporter, family member or have no previous connection to the club at all.
“For regional clubs like ours, we think there is a real opportunity to be a place that helps bring the wider community together.
“Sport might be what initially creates these clubs, but community is what keeps them strong.”
Ms Murray said the support from this year’s event meant the club could work on making next year’s event bigger and better.
“Seeing the response to this year’s event has shown us just how much appetite there is for occasions like this in our community,” she said.
“We would love to continue building Ladies Day into an annual event that brings even more women together, supports worthwhile causes and gives local businesses another opportunity to get behind something positive within our region.”
Read More: Lismore, Derrinallum